Washington Street Circuit

Washington Street Circuit

Street Circuit (2026)
Location	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates	38°53′14″N 77°02′11″W / 38.8871340°N 77.0364902°W / 38.8871340; -77.0364902
Opened	22 August 2026; 4 days ago (2026-08-22)
Closed	23 August 2026; 3 days ago (2026-08-23)
Architect	Tony Cottman
Major events	Current: IndyCar Series Freedom 250 Grand Prix (2026) IROC (2026)
Street Circuit (2026)
Length	2.736 km (1.700 mi)
Turns	7
Race lap record	0:57.9495 ( Will Power, Dallara IR-18, 2026, IndyCar)

The Washington Street Circuit is a 1.700 mi (2.736 km) street circuit in the city of Washington, D.C. that hosted the NTT IndyCar Series and IROC in 2026.

History

The National Mall, the area where the race was held. The Lincoln Memorial and its reflecting pool, the Washington Monument behind it, and the United States Capitol in the background

The original 2026 IndyCar Series schedule was released on September 16, 2025, with no races in Washington, D.C.^[1] Rumors circulated that President Donald Trump wanted to host a race to celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial. The race was officially announced on January 30, 2026, with President Trump signing an executive order authorizing the race.^[2][3] The order instructed the secretary of the interior and the secretary of transportation to design the course layout within 14 days and to "ensure that all permits, approvals, and other authorizations ... are issued and granted as expeditiously as possible". The executive order also instructed the two Secretaries, in coordination with Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser, to "ensure that any roads, trails, or bridges to be used as part of the race course are properly maintained and capable of being used in such a manner".^[4] The street circuit will be composed around the National Mall.^[5][6] It is the second race hosted in Washington, D.C. since America's 25th birthday (the other was the 2002 Grand Prix of Washington D.C.) on July 4, 1801, when festivities including horseback riding and cockfighting were celebrated. President Thomas Jefferson and the Washington Jockey Club "established a racecourse just blocks from the White House, with part of the course running across Pennsylvania Avenue and through what is now Lafayette Park" according to the White House Historical Association.^[7]

Events

Current

• August: IndyCar Series Freedom 250 Grand Prix, IROC

Lap records

As of August 2026, the fastest official race lap records at the Washington Street Circuit are listed as:

Category	Time	Driver	Vehicle	Event
Street Circuit (2026): 1.700 mi (2.736 km)
IndyCar	0:57.9495	Will Power	Dallara IR-18	2026 Freedom 250 Grand Prix
IROC	1:13.764[8]	Helio Castroneves	Pontiac Firebird IROC	2026 Washington IROC round

References

1. "INDYCAR Announces 17-Race 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Schedule". IndyCar. September 16, 2025. Archived from the original on 16 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
2. Kapur, Sahil (30 January 2026). "Trump orders up IndyCar race on the streets of Washington for 'America250 Grand Prix'". NBC News. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
3. DeGroot, Nick (30 January 2026). "Donald Trump signs executive order confirming IndyCar race in Washington D.C." Motorsport. Archived from the original on 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
4. "Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing". The White House. 2026-01-30. Archived from the original on 2026-01-30. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
5. "Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. Coming in August". IndyCar. January 30, 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-01-30. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
6. "IndyCar announces Freedom 250 GP of Washington, D.C. as 18th race". RACER. 30 January 2026. Archived from the original on 2026-05-29. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
7. "The Freedom 250 Continues The History Of DC Races Celebrating America's Birthday". Citizens Voice News. 2026-08-21. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
8. "2026 Freedom 250 Grand Prix IROC Race 2". 22 August 2026. Retrieved 23 August 2026.