距离首都华盛顿举办街道赛车赛事还有一个月，美国总统特朗普周一在白宫接见多位顶尖印地赛车车手，举办一场 “大奖赛预热展示活动”。
这场名为自由 250 大奖赛的赛事由特朗普创立的半官方机构 “自由 250” 主办，计划在国家广场铺设总长 1.7 英里的赛道。赛道环绕多处知名地标，途经国家档案馆、国家美术馆以及史密森尼国家航空航天博物馆。
特朗普表示：“这将是前所未有的一场赛事，收视率会创下同类赛事新高。”
站在特朗普身旁的有三名印地赛车车手：亚历克斯・帕卢、费利克斯・罗森奎斯特与戴维・马卢卡斯。帕卢、罗森奎斯特分别斩获 2025 年、2026 年印第安纳波利斯 500 大赛冠军;马卢卡斯连续两年取得亚军。
主办方尚未正式公布自由 250 大奖赛全部参赛车手名单。
一同出席活动的还有潘世奇车队创始人罗杰・潘世奇、交通部长肖恩・达菲、潘世奇集团总裁巴德・登克、福克斯体育首席执行官埃里克・尚克斯，以及通用汽车总裁马克・鲁斯。
发言环节结束后，一辆印地赛车驶上宾夕法尼亚大道，维修团队还在民众面前完成一次快速换胎演示。
交通部长达菲介绍，这是印地赛车首次登陆首都华盛顿，赛事定于 8 月 22 日、23 日举行。
特朗普称：“大家将见证赛车前所未有的速度，赛车在宾夕法尼亚大道上时速能突破 190 英里，甚至更快。这条道路原本并非为高速赛车设计，但肖恩・达菲和一众优秀同仁办成了这件了不起的大事。”
特朗普表示，本次赛事观众免费观赛，举办这场活动是为整个国家献礼。运营方自由 250 大奖赛官网称，赛事获得多家核心合作伙伴支持，包括印地赛车联盟与宏伟体育娱乐公司达成推广合作。目前尚不清楚联邦资金在赛事中扮演何种角色。
特朗普说道：“这场赛事一定会精彩纷呈。这是华盛顿特区历史上首次举办此类赛车活动，也是我们纪念美国自由诞生 250 周年盛大庆典的组成部分。”
印地赛车赛事方表示，本次大赛旨在庆祝美国独立，同时推广赛车产业。
特朗普还提及近期举办的终极格斗冠军赛，以及同样由自由 250 承办、在国家广场举办的独立日庆典。他调侃，独立日当天的坏天气反倒增添特别体验 —— 暴雨迫使观众临时疏散，之后大家又重返现场聆听他的演讲。
达菲则希望下月赛事期间天气凉爽宜人。 “欢迎所有人前来观赛，这场盛会必将载入史册。” 达菲说。
Trump hosts IndyCar drivers at White House ahead of August race on the National Mall
President Donald Trump hosted top-ranking IndyCar drivers at the White House Monday as part of a "Grand Prix Showcase" ahead of the street race set to take place in the nation's capital next month.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix, part of the Freedom 250 quasi-government group founded by Trump, has planned a 1.7-mile track around the National Mall. The course will go around several landmarks, including the National Archives, National Gallery of Art and Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.
"This will be like no other race ever," Trump said. "This will get the highest ever ratings of any such race."
Next to Trump stood three IndyCar racers: Alex Palou, Felix Rosenqvist and David Malukas. Both Palou and Rosenqvist won the Indianapolis 500 in 2025 and 2026, respectively; Malukas finished second in both races.
The racers participating in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix have not yet been announced.
Trump was also joined by Penske founder Roger Penske, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Penske Corporation President Bud Denker, Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks and General Motors President Mark Reuss.
After their remarks, an IndyCar drove down Pennsylvania Avenue and a pit crew performed a quick tire change in front of the crowd.
The event, which Duffy said will be the first-ever IndyCar race in the capital, is scheduled for Aug. 22 and Aug. 23.
"You're going to see cars at the level they've never been at before, with cars racing more than 190 miles, and even higher than that, down Pennsylvania Avenue. It wasn't exactly designed for that, but what Sean Duffy's done with these incredible, brilliant people is really amazing," Trump said.
Trump said the race would be "totally free" to viewers, and that the event is taking place on behalf of the country.The event, run through the Freedom 250 Grand Prix organization, said on its website that itis "supported by a group of key partners”-- including IndyCar’s "promotional alliance with Monumental Sports&Entertainment.” It is unclear how federal funding is playing a role in the event.
"It's going to be a beautiful, a beautiful thing to watch, and this is the first racing event of its kind in Washington, D.C., history, happening as part of our great celebration of the 250th anniversary of American freedom," Trump said.
The upcoming event will celebrate the nation's independence and motorsports industry, according to the IndyCar series.
Trump also mentioned his recent Ultimate Fight Championship event and the Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall, both also hosted by Freedom 250. He said the Fourth of July was made even better by the bad weather, which had forced attendees to evacuate and later return for the president's speech.
Duffy said he hopes for cooler weather for the race next month.
"We hope everyone comes and checks out this race," Duffy said. "It's going to be epic."
