By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday calling for an IndyCar race to roar through the streets of Washington in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. would mark the first-ever IndyCar street race in the nation’s capital, according to the order.
The race would be held near the National Mall, bringing open-wheel racing within sight of iconic Washington monuments and museums.
The executive order represents an unusual presidential directive, mixing motorsports with patriotic celebration as the United States approaches its semiquincentennial in 2026.
Trump said, when signing the order in the Oval Office, that the race would take place in August. No details were provided about funding or logistical arrangements for threading race cars through the typically traffic-clogged streets of downtown Washington.
The IndyCar series currently features street races in cities including Long Beach, California, and St. Petersburg, Florida, but has never attempted to navigate the complex security and traffic considerations of the federal district.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Writing by Frank Pingue; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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