The IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix was a smashing success. Fans, teams and racers alike heaped praise on the first-of-its-kind event, and we’ll add our hat to the mix.
Unlike the inaugural IndyCar race in Markham, Canada, that preceded it, which didn’t have the track ready in time for the start of the weekend, the Freedom 250 went off without a hitch.
This was doubly impressive given the short amount of time available to put it together. The idea was whipped up in January as part of the America 250 celebrations and the race organized on a compressed schedule.
The track ended up much shorter than originally proposed, due largely to regulations about commercial events on the Capitol Hill grounds, but the final layout provided thrilling visuals and speeds in excess of 180 mph along Pennsylvania Avenue.
Kyle Kirkwood passed pole-sitter Alex Palou on the first lap and drove away for the win, while Palou ran into trouble in the pits and couldn’t stage a comeback. Several accidents contributed to six caution periods as drivers searched for the limits between the unforgiving walls.
The event was planned as a one-off, but Bud Denker, president of Penske Corporation and chairman of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., said afterwards that the “pressure is on” to make it happen again. If IndyCar does, we have a few ideas to improve it.
PUT THE GRAND IN GRANDSTANDS
Tickets to this year’s event were free and issued through a lottery. There were 100,000 for race day and 215,000 people attended across the weekend. The venue was split into two zones designated Starts and Stripes, and fans couldn’t move between them. They both had large fan zones on The National Mall with TVs, food and merchandise, but the Stripes side had less exposure to the track itself.
While there was plenty of space to get close to the catch fence around the track, both sides were short on grandstands, which were first come, first served and filled four hours before Sunday’s feature race. Trees and buildings posed logistical challenges, but more time to plan should be able to carve out some new areas, and ticketed seats that fans could leave and return to would make for a more enjoyable experience.
The action-packed pit lane was around the corner from the start/finish line and had no grandstands opposite it, as it often does at many tracks. Two sponsored VIP towers that offered paid admission suites also took up some prime real estate, but helped cover the costs of the event.
MORE RACING
The event was originally supposed to feature just the IndyCar race, but an IROC (International Race Of Champions) event was added and ended up being a huge hit with the fans. Twin 10-lap races were held that featured an all-star roster of drivers, including Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch, driving vintage race cars wearing the body of the final generation Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.
There were only eight cars in the race, which were allotted a small block-long area for a paddock, which was about all that could be spared. If the venue can be expanded for future events, additional support races like Indy NXT, the Ford Mustang Challenge, the Mazda MX-5 Cup, or even a NASCAR Truck Series race, would be great additions to the weekend, especially if it switches to paid admission.
KEEP FLYING
While the U.S. government pulled out all the stops for this celebratory event, which included military parades and President Trump taking a lap of the track in The Beast limousine, the flyovers were unparalleled.
Seven passed over the venue that featured Ospreys, the new 747 used as Air Force One, F-18s and the astonishing batwing B-2 bomber. At least one on a larger scale than other races is a must for future opening ceremonies.
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