- The Washington Times - Friday, October 23, 2026

The organizers of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix held in August in the District of Columbia for America’s 250th birthday confirmed it won’t have a follow-up race in 2027.

“This summer’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix was an incredible event that was always intended to be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of our country’s 250th birthday. Today’s release of the 2027 NTT INDYCAR Series schedule confirms that the race will not return to Washington D.C. next season,” the organizers said on social media Friday.

The race had a nonstandard number of laps, going from the 125 in normal IndyCar Series events up to 147 so the cars would drive a total of 250 miles. As a result, it also had a second pit stop.

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Kyle Kirkwood, the winner who led for 128 laps, compared it to the Indy 500, saying that “there’s an instinct that you have when you wake up and your heart’s already racing. I only get that feeling in one place: the Indianapolis 500. That sensation makes it, it gets its own energy. That’s what this place had. This was a very special race.”

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