IndyCar’s Freedom 250 GP Among Roger Penske’s Greatest Achievements

BusinessSportsMoneyIndyCar’s Freedom 250 GP Among Roger Penske’s Greatest AchievementsByBruce Martin, Contributor. Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I have been chasing race cars since the first Michigan 500 in 1981.Follow AuthorAug 20, 2026, 06:06pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryWashington D.C. is set to host the historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an unprecedented IndyCar street race on the National Mall, celebrating the nation's 250th birthday. Roger Penske's team undertook the immense challenge of building the entire circuit and facilities from scratch, navigating complex federal and local jurisdictions, a feat more intricate than the Indy 500. This unique spectacle generated massive public demand, with 288,000 lottery applicants vying for 150,000 tickets. The event promises a world-class experience with luxury suites, new corporate partners, an IndyCar championship race, and IROC exhibition races. Organizers confirm this is likely a one-time event on the National Mall, ensuring a truly unforgettable and historic moment for IndyCar, showcasing the sport in the heart of the capital. Show More Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks (far right), Freedom 250 Grand Prix Chairman Bud Denker (right), U.S. President Donald Trump (center), Penske Corporation CEO Roger Penske (left), and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy (far left) arrive for a Freedom 250 Grand Prix showcase on West Executive Avenue between the West Wing of the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on July 13, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)Getty ImagesRoger Penske has accomplished a lot of great things in his career as a business leader and as a racer. This weekend’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, DC may be one of his most impressive achievements. It is already the most complex events Penske, and his team at the Penske Corporation have ever undertaken. Roger Penske called me on Tuesday night to explain why this is by far the most complex race in IndyCar history because of the various jurisdictions involved, from Federal to the District of Columbia to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Transportation to the Executive Branch in the White House. “The complexity is No. 1 we don’t have a fixed facility to handle the amount of fans we expect over the weekend, so it all has to be built from scratch,” Penske told me. “That includes building the barriers, the fencing, the track, plus three major suite facilities that had to be built from scratch,” Penske told me. “Also, the permitting and licensing took several months to negotiate what the city wants from us to meet their code regulations. It just took time for us to explain and negotiate options they could look at in order to have the event. “All of that is already in place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway so it is fixed with permits and the facility and it’s about giving a great experience on Race Day. We don’t have to build the facility than tear it down and have it removed like we do for a street race. “The complexity in having this in the Nation’s Capital and then closing down certain streets is a partnership with the city that we had to develop. Those all add to the complexity of this event.” MORE FOR YOURoger Penske’s Team That Made The Freedom 250 Grand Prix A RealityPenske’s team on the ground in Washington, D.C. includes Penske Corporation President Bud Denker and Vice President of Penske Entertainment at the Penske Corporation Michael Montri. These are also the two that oversee the construction, set up and teardown of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix every year and play a major role in the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington in March, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in April and the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix in July. Denker and Montri have spent more time in Washington, DC than many members on Capitol Hill. “Bud Denker led that whole office and probably had almost 100 meetings over the last five months to have the right approvals to build the track and execute on Sunday,” Penske said. “The team that we are using are our Detroit team, our Arlington team, people from Long Beach and also from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s a team effort and we have all of our best people executing in order to make a super event for the weekend. “It’s absolutely more complicated than building the Indy 500 every year.” Penske Corporation President and Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington DC Chairman Bud DenkerBruce Martin PhotoAt the Penske Corporation, there is a saying that there is “No ‘I’ in Team” and this is a classic example. When asked if putting IndyCar on the streets of Washington, DC for a race in the celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States is Penske’s greatest accomplishment, he focused the accolades on his lieutenants. “I say the team led by Bud Denker and Michael Montri have done an outstanding job,” Penske said. “And with our partners at FOX Sports working on this, our expectations are to have an event we will never forget. To run an IndyCar race in the capital of the United States. It’s an amazing vision and even more amazing to see it come together in execution.” It’s going to be both an exhilarating and exhausting weekend for everyone involved as over 150,000 spectators already have tickets for the “free” event. The demand was so high for this race, a lottery had to be used to determine who got the tickets to attend the race in either the “Stars” sector of the National Mall, or the “Stripes” sector. Once the spectators clear Secret Service security including magnetometers and enter their “sector” they aren’t allowed to enter into the other sector. According to Denker, who is the Chairman of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington DC, 288,000 people signed up for the 150,000 tickets. The tickets were determined through a lottery system. There are 70,000 fans in the “Stars” second and 70,000 in the “Stripes” sector of the National Mall. The rest will be in high-quality luxury suites. The Indy Car race track is visible down Pennsylvania Avenue for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on August 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. Final preparations continue for this weekend's inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a historic two-day NTT IndyCar Series street race past iconic National Mall landmarks to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)Getty ImagesLarge video screens will line both the Stars and Strips sectors so that fans can get a view of what is happening on other parts of the track. Construction on the Gulfsteam Suite and Delta 250 Suites ahead of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix race, near the US Capitol on the National Mall, on August 5, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe suite area will include some of the most impressive temporary suites in IndyCar history, similar to what is constructed at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. The cost to be in those suites are staggering, but the demand to be a part of this historic event have never been higher for any NTT IndyCar Series race, including the Indianapolis 500. Guests will enjoy a world-class hospitality experience in the more than 70 luxury suites that surround the 1.7-mile street circuit around the National Mall, and the historic streets of Washington D.C. Premier partners will help elevate the experience for Grand Prix guests across the three stunning suite structures during the Aug. 22-23 race weekend. New Partners Join IndyCar For Historic RaceVerizon, Delta Air Lines and Gulfstream will all help power what promises to be a memorable weekend for suite guests, complete with premium viewing and exclusive access and amenities at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. Each of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix climate-controlled suites will feature full walls, with executive restrooms located on all three floors and an enclosed elevator in each suite structure. Each suite will include premium food and beverage options and first-class concierge service for all suite guests. The Monument Suites powered by Verizon, located just outside the Air National Guard Fan Zone on 7th Street NW and between Turns 4 and 5 on the seven-turn street circuit, features 30-person hospitality suites. The impressive three-level structure, positioned in the shadows of the Washington Monument, also houses the Freedom 250 Grand Prix Champions Club on its first level. Fans can still purchase passes to the climate-controlled Champions Club that features all-inclusive food and beverages all weekend long. Saturday, Sunday and two-day Champions Club passes can be purchased online through Ticketmaster. Whether it’s Champions Club pass holders or attendees in the structure’s other luxury suites, guests will enjoy the exclusive experience and being close to the racing action in the Monument Suites powered by Verizon, the longtime technology and connectivity partner of IndyCar and Team Penske that helps support enhanced fan engagement and communications across the sport. The U.S. Capitol Building is visible at the finish line of the Indy Car race track for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on August 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. Final preparations continue for this weekend's inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a historic two-day NTT IndyCar Series street race past iconic National Mall landmarks to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Delta 250 Suites, positioned on 3rd Street NW and overlooking the U.S. Capitol and the Start/Finish line on track, offer 40-person suites with direct sightlines to what are expected to be some of the most pivotal moments of racing action during the historic weekend. With a birds-eye view of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix pre-race pageantry, the green flag start and the checkered flag finish of each race, guests will feel the excitement all weekend long in the three-level suite structure sponsored by Delta Air Lines, the leading global airline that recently marked a century of flight with its 100-year anniversary in 2025. Freedom 250 Grand Prix suite partner Arrow McLaren will call the second floor of the Delta 250 Suites home during race weekend in Washington D.C. Arrow McLaren brings a championship-caliber legacy and a relentless drive to win to the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, featuring one of the most consistent and productive teams in the NTT IndyCar Series led by drivers Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard. The Gulfstream Suite structure is located on the east side of the Air National Guard Fan Zone near Turn 1 on 3rd Street NW and adjacent to the Delta 250 Suites. Also featuring stunning views of the pre-race festivities and the on-track action at the start/finish line in front of the U.S. Capitol, guests will enjoy one of the most unique backdrops in motorsports inside the suite hosted by Gulfstream, the longtime American aircraft manufacturer and a visionary leader in the aerospace industry. “Verizon, Delta Air Lines, Gulfstream and Arrow McLaren are all helping raise the bar on the overall hospitality experience at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix,” said Denker, Chairman of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. “With first-class service from the key vantage points along the Start/Finish line to Turn 1 and all around the National Mall circuit, the support and the drive of these partners will help us deliver an amazing experience and an unforgettable weekend for all of our suite guests on the streets of Washington D.C.” IROC Joins IndyCar at Freedom Grand Prix of Washington DCWith a unique mix of IndyCar competition and IROC exhibition racing, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will deliver a rare combination of past and present for fans, highlighting the sport’s legends alongside today’s star drivers in a once-in-a-lifetime celebration in the nation’s capital. It also helps create engagement with partners and sponsors who want to be involved in this race that aren’t already associated with IndyCar. Anchored by premium locations across the scenic street circuit, Freedom 250 Grand Prix partners will include branding along key viewing zones and fan touchpoints. These placements will position each partner at high-visibility areas of the circuit, connecting fans and brands to the high-speed excitement of IndyCar racing in the heart of the nation’s capital. NTT will feature its distinct branding on the pedestrian bridge located just past Turn 1 of the racing circuit and trackside signage leading onto the fast .4-mile Pennsylvania Avenue frontstretch. The integrated fan-facing presence on track will build on NTT’s long-standing IndyCar partnership and the leading global technology company’s position as the title sponsor of the NTT IndyCar Series. Boeing branding will be displayed on the pedestrian bridge located just before Turn 6 of the Grand Prix circuit. The global aerospace company, whose corporate offices are located near Washington D.C., will also feature trackside signage on Independence Avenue with prominent placement at a key vantage point on the racing circuit. The dome of the US Capitol is seen behind a stand as setup continues ahead of the IndyCar series Freedom 250 Grand Prix on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on August 17, 2026. The race will be held on August 23, 2026, on a temporary street circuit in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesBitdeer, a world-leading technology company for digital infrastructure and Bitcoin mining, will be represented with track signage and the Bitdeer Bridge over the Freedom 250 Grand Prix track. Located at the exit of Turn 5, the Bitdeer Bridge will be one of the pedestrian bridges over the track that includes lift service for mobility-challenged guests during race weekend. “All these new companies have come in to gauge the interest in IndyCar,” Denker said. “This is also an opportunity for us to grow our sport by showcasing it tothese companies that were never part of our sport before. Our job is to grow the sport.” On Thursday, METRO trains in Washington DC had an IndyCar show car attached to one of the trains that was traveling through the District of Columbia. “We loaded our race car on a rail car,” Denker said. “It's going all around the city right now, under the subway, with our show car. They are going to say, ‘What the hell is that?’ It’s just another way that we are engaging. the fans here in ways we've never, ever done it before.” The U.S. Capitol Building is visible at the finish line of the Indy Car race track for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on August 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. Final preparations continue for this weekend's inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a historic two-day NTT IndyCar Series street race past iconic National Mall landmarks to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Freedom 250 Grand Prix Pit Lane Powered by Shell will include branding and signage highlighting Shell, the longtime partner of Team Penske and IndyCar, which also serves as the official fuel supplier of the NTT IndyCar Series. Located adjacent to Pennsylvania Avenue, between Turns 1 and 2 on the track, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix Pit Lane Powered by Shell is where all NTT IndyCar Series teams will service their race cars during on-track activity over the course of the weekend. The Paddock Presented by WillScot is an exclusive area of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix venue that features the high-tech haulers that transport team race cars and equipment, along with the temporary garages for all competing IndyCar teams. Known as the “locker room of motorsports,” the race paddock is where race teams and drivers will work throughout the Freedom 250 Grand Prix weekend and it will include branding for WillScot, a leading provider of turnkey space solutions in North America and an IndyCar series partner. In addition to the trackside partner activations, the Air National Guard Fan Zone will bring high-energy fan experiences to the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The Air National Guard Fan Zone will deliver engaging and dynamic destinations for fans of all ages in both the Stars and Stripes ticketed areas of the venue during race weekend, including free driver autograph sessions, interactive displays and more. “NTT, Boeing, Shell, WillScot, Bitdeer and the Air National Guard will help define what fans, partners and competitors experience at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit,” Denker said. “From pedestrian bridges and signature turns on track to the pit lane, the paddock and the fan zone, these partner activations will help bring this special event to life and help fuel IndyCar’s debut in Washington, D.C.” The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will feature comprehensive multi-platform coverage across FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX One and the FOX Sports app, highlighted by live broadcast coverage of Sunday’s 250-mile NTT IndyCar Series race on FOX. The race weekend will also showcase the return of the iconic International Race of Champions (IROC) series, bringing together some of the most accomplished drivers in both IndyCar and NASCAR history for two exhibition races on Saturday, Aug. 22. Whether the race is a showstopper on the track such as last Sunday’s Ontario Honda Dealers Indy At Markham, or not, it doesn’t really matter to drivers in IndyCar. The venue alone makes this one of the most important races they have ever competed. US First Lady Melania Trump holds a helmet presented to her by US Indy Car driver Alexander Rossi (R), New Zealand driver Scott Dixon (2nd R), US driver Graham Rahal (2nd L) and New Zealand-American driver Scott McLaughlin (L) at an event with IndyCar and FOX Sports to expand academic opportunities for individuals transitioning from foster care, in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, DC, on August 20, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images“It's the fact that, this is a race that's a showcase for our series and our nation, and that's really cool,” driver Alexander Rossi of ECR said. “It's an event that as soon as it was announced, it was like you were counting the days until you get to do it. “And as we all know, it's probably going to be a one-and-done thing. So, I'm just super looking forward to getting there and experiencing it and doing something that very few people will get to do.” The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, will be in attendance as a guest. One of the star drivers of IndyCar is Pato O’Ward, a 10-time race winner at Arrow McLaren, who is from Monterrey, Mexico. O’Ward has spent most of his life attending school in the United States and proudly said he has spent more than half his life in the USA. Although his is proud of his Mexican heritage, he stressed how much he loves the United States. Freedom 250 Grand Prix Of Washington DC Is A ‘One In A Lifetime’ EventBoth Penske and Denker stress that the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington DC is a one-time only event. IndyCar may return in the future, but it likely would be in a different part of town and not on the National Mall because of the heavy lift it took to get the federal government, the District of Columbia and other governmental agencies to approve of this effort. That is why Sunday’s race will be historic and to the driver that wins the race, it may mean as much to them as winning the famed Indianapolis 500. “In just a few short days, with the unyielding support of our President, IndyCar will blaze an unprecedented path on the streets of our Nation’s Capital,” IndyCar President Doug Boles said at the Rose Garden at the White House on August 20. “The stars of the ‘Fastest Racing On Earth’ will reach speeds in excess of 180 miles an hour as they make their way past the US Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, and around the National Mall. They will put on a massive and very fast spectacle to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday.” The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington DC will be a grand spectacle as IndyCar gets a chance to give its own unique present to the United States as it celebrates its 250th birthday. Fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in Washington, D.C., the United States, in the wee hours of July 5, 2026. (Photo by Li Rui/Xinhua via Getty Images)Xinhua News Agency via Getty ImagesEditorial StandardsReprints & PermissionsLOADING VIDEO PLAYER...FORBES’ FEATURED VideoExplore Topic