What to know about this weekend's IndyCar race on the National Mall
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is poised to bring dozens of race cars and tens of thousands of spectators to the heart of Washington, D.C.'s National Mall this weekend.
asserted
Prix → know → Mall
The two-day motorsports event, which culminates in Sunday's marquee 250-mile race, is the first IndyCar race to take place in the nation's capital.
asserted
which → culminate → capital
And organizers say it might be the last.
uncertain
it → say → ?
"This is a one-time only event, because we're celebrating the country's 250th one time," event chair Bud Denker, president of Penske Corporation, told NPR on Tuesday.
asserted
Denker → celebrate → Tuesday
Organizers are promising a patriotic spectacle, with cars zipping through 147 laps of a 1.7-mile route in the shadow of the Capitol building, as well as flyovers and other fanfare.
asserted
cars → promise → building
At a preview event in July, President Trump said drivers may reach speeds of 190 miles per hour down Pennsylvania Avenue.
uncertain
drivers → say → Avenue
"It wasn't exactly designed for that, but what [Transportation Secretary] Sean Duffy has done with these incredible, brilliant people is really amazing," Trump said.
asserted
Trump → design → people
The unprecedented nature of the event — and the condensed planning timeline — raises many logistical questions.
asserted
nature → raise → questions
Here's what to know before the green flag kicks things off.
asserted
flag → know → things
The most prestigious event of the IndyCar series is the Indianapolis 500, but other annual fixtures include street races in Detroit, St. Petersburg, Fla. and Long Beach, Calif.
asserted
fixtures → include → Detroit
Its 25-driver field includes top names like series champion Alex Palou and Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist.
asserted
field → include → Palou
The track poses some unique challenges.
asserted
track → pose → challenges
there's far fewer opportunities per lap to try and overtake," longtime motorsports journalist Marshall Pruett told NPR's Morning Edition.
asserted
Pruett → be → Edition
Drivers will follow an angular, 1.7-mile course with seven sharp turns, and a main straightaway framed in the distance by the Capitol building and the Washington Monument.
asserted
Drivers → follow → building
Drivers will tackle 147 laps, for a total of just under 250 miles each.
asserted
Drivers → tackle → miles
The course goes directly past landmarks like the National Archives Building, the National Gallery of Art and three Smithsonian museums: Air and Space, American Indian and American History.
asserted
course → go → Art
Some art experts have expressed concern that vibrations from the track construction and race itself could damage the artifacts inside.
uncertain
vibrations → express → artifacts
How can people watch?
asserted
people → watch → ?
The two-day schedule kicks off with practice runs, a qualifying race and other programming on Saturday, followed by Sunday's main event beginning just after 1 p.m. ET.
asserted
schedule → kick → ET
The race itself will be broadcast live on Fox, and is slated to take about two and a half hours.
asserted
race → broadcast → hours
The full Fox broadcast schedule includes post-race ceremonies at 3:40 p.m. ET.
asserted
schedule → include → ET
There's also the Champion's Club, where a two-day hospitality package costs $5,000 per person.
asserted
package → be → person
General admission tickets were free to the public, given away by lottery, and are no longer available.
asserted
tickets → give → lottery
Denker told NPR that some 288,000 fans applied for tickets.
asserted
fans → tell → tickets
He expects about 140,000 people to attend each day.
asserted
people → expect → day
How was the event put together?
asserted
event → put → ?
The IndyCar series is owned by Penske Entertainment Corp., a subsidiary of Penske Corporation.
asserted
series → own → Corporation
Denker says he and Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks had the idea — over a beer after a board meeting last year — to celebrate the country's 250th birthday with a race in Washington, D.C.
"We were saying, 'This is never going to happen, but let's just check it out,'" Denker said.
asserted
Denker → say → it
They flew to D.C. and spent a few days measuring roads.
asserted
They → fly → roads
Denker says there are four main requirements for a street race: The streets need to be at least 40 feet wide, in decent shape, include room for a pit lane and be able to accommodate oversize trucks and trailers.
asserted
streets → say → trucks
He says the area right near the U.S. Capitol met all those criteria.
asserted
area → say → criteria
But there was one big hurdle: Holding a race there would require congressional approval — because federal law prohibits commercial advertising on Capitol grounds — and Denker couldn't get the votes.
asserted
Denker → be → votes
It wasn't for lack of trying: He says he held over 100 meetings on the Hill over a six-month period.
asserted
he → try → period
Denker said that at the encouragement of Duffy, the transportation secretary, he returned to D.C. in January to measure more roads farther from the Capitol.
asserted
he → say → Capitol
They worked, so he proposed what is now the current route.
asserted
what → work → ?
"Within 24 hours of this idea changing under the city streets, we had an executive order in my inbox to review," Denker told reporters earlier this summer.
asserted
Denker → change → reporters
Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 30, titled "Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing."
asserted
Trump → sign → Racing
It authorized the heads of the Transportation and Interior departments to designate a suitable route through D.C., and take steps to grant all necessary permits and approvals "as expeditiously as possible.
asserted
It → authorize → permits
"
"Instead of having two and a half years to plan this thing, I've had seven months," Denker told NPR.
asserted
Denker → have → NPR
What will the race cost — and who is paying?
asserted
who → cost → What
…and 29 more, not listed.
The Aporia
