Traffic usually moves pretty slow through Washington D.C., but a few cars will be zipping through the nation’s capital this summer if Department of Transportation secretary Sean Duffy has his way.
Punchbowl reports that Duffy is trying to get IndyCar to hold a race on the city’s streets as part of the America250 celebration, which will include a UFC event on the White House lawn in June.
The proposal reportedly includes a circuit design that would start at the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill and do a lap of the National Mall via the Lincoln Memorial, although a precise map has not been released. A track with those endpoints would likely be approximately five-miles in length.
Given the location, Congress would need to approve the race, which would require waivers to clear regulations that prohibit advertising in the vicinity, and the department has reached out to both the majority and minority leaders.
“The Grand Prix is an unprecedented opportunity to celebrate our nation’s proud racing pedigree, showcase the beauty of the National Mall, and generate millions in critical tourism revenue for the Capital, the DOT said in a statement issued to Punchbowl News. “We’ll keep working with our partners in Congress to outline the positive impacts it will have on the District and correct the record.”
President Trump is close friends with IndyCar owner Roger Penske and has hosted his racing teams at the White House.
IndyCar hasn’t confirmed discussions surrounding the specific event, but told American Cars And Racing, “we continue to work on new events for the NTT IndyCar Series. Major East Coast markets – like Washington D.C. and several other large metro destinations – are priorities for us.”
Punchbowl News says the target for the race date is August 21, which is a Friday, but it may be referring to the start of the typical three-day race weekend. IndyCar has an event scheduled for the weekend before in Markham, Canada, outside Toronto, and another the following week in Milwaukee, which poses an additional logistical challenge.
There’s never been an IndyCar race in Washington., D.C., but the American Le Mans Series 2002 Cadillac Grand Prix of Washington D.C. sports car race took place on the roads surrounding RFK Stadium on the outskirts of the city. The area is currently under construction as the stadium is being demolished to make way for a new one that won’t be complete before 2030.
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