House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he wants to bring the Freedom 250 Grand Prix back to Washington every year.
“I want to bring it back next year. I want to make it an annual event,” Johnson told Fox News at the race. Asked whether that was possible, he said: “If we have any say in it, we’ll be in the majority. I’ll be pushing for that.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., leaves without taking any questions from reporters after finishing a series of votes on President Donald Trump’s priorities, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Bud Denker, chairman of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, walks the track outside the National Gallery of Art on Friday. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
(Finn Gomez via Getty Images)The race was designed to avoid Congress. Bud Denker, the Penske Corporation president who built the event, took 81 meetings on Capitol Hill between August and January trying to win approval for a course that ran across Capitol grounds. Federal law bars advertising there, and IndyCars are covered in sponsor logos. Denker was not able to get the votes necessary.
So, Denker moved the circuit a block west, outside congressional jurisdiction, and President Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 30 clearing the way without a vote, CNN reported.
The Washington Nationals’ “racing presidents” mascots run the track before the start of the race Sunday. (Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images)
(KENT NISHIMURA via Getty Images)
Alex Palou, the championship points leader, climbs into his car before a practice session Sunday. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
(ROBERTO SCHMIDT via Getty Images)Whether it returns is unsettled. Denker has called this year’s race “likely a one-off, in this current iteration, at least.” Doug Boles, IndyCar’s president, said it is “likely just a one-year event.” Mayor Muriel Bowser and Trump have both said they want more races in Washington.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, one of two cabinet officials the order directed to designate the route, told Fox News on Sunday the substitute course turned out better than the original.
“I think this is better. The view of the Capitol behind us,” Duffy said. “By the way, this is the first time they’re going to sell beer on the Mall of the capital, food, festive car race. So I think this venue is probably better than the original thought anyway.”
Johnson said 130,000 people were on the Mall on Sunday and that organizers capped attendance for security. Organizers had said they expected about 140,000 each day, against 288,000 ticket requests.
