The NTT IndyCar Series is preparing for its first-ever race on the streets of Washington, DC, with the highly anticipated Freedom 250 Grand Prix scheduled for August 2026. This event will honor America's 250th birthday and promises to be a spectacular showcase as cars race past some of the country’s most iconic monuments.

Practice sessions will be broadcast on FS1 and FS2, with qualifying set for Saturday evening. On Sunday, the race will air live on FOX at 1 p.m. ET, preceded by expanded pre-race coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. The IndyCar broadcast team, including lap-by-lap commentator Will Buxton and former drivers Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe, will call the Sunday warm-up from 9 to 10 a.m.

Saturday’s events will also feature a special race with IndyCar legends Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti, and Tony Kanaan competing alongside NASCAR greats Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Rusty Wallace, and Bill Elliott. They will drive Pontiac Firebirds, the same cars used in the original IROC series from 1996 to 2006.

There is considerable excitement surrounding this unique addition to the 2026 IndyCar calendar. Recently, reigning series champion Alex Palou, Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist, and Team Penske’s David Malukas visited the White House to meet President Donald Trump and participate in pit stop practice.

Following the Freedom 250, IndyCar will continue its busy schedule with the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway, airing on FOX immediately after the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.

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