IndyCar's 250-mile Freedom Grand Prix takes over Washington
What's new: Organizers expect about 140,000 spectators each day and shut more than 200 manhole covers for the street race.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is set to bring IndyCar racing to Washington for the first time this weekend, with a 250-mile, 147-lap race on a temporary course around the National Mall and the Capitol. The two-day event begins Saturday with practice, qualifying and an IROC race, followed by Sunday’s main event at about 1:10 p.m. ET. Organizers built a roughly 1.7-mile circuit on Pennsylvania and Independence avenues, added barriers, bridges and viewing stands, and resurfaced parts of the route. The race is tied to the U.S. 250th-birthday celebrations and is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans, though preservationists have warned that vibrations could threaten historic artwork along the course.