Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the owner of the Washington Wizards and Capitals, is teaming up with IndyCar to promote the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in the District this summer.
The car race will span the National Mall and the city on Aug. 23, with other grand prix activities the previous two days.
President Trump last week signed an executive order designating a race route that serpentines around the city’s monuments.
Through the partnership with IndyCar, Monumental becomes the official marketing, sponsorship and hospitality agency for the race.
“This marquee event is more than a race — it is a celebration of our nation’s history that puts fans at the center and showcases the nation’s capital as a world-class host of unforgettable sporting experiences,” Jim Van Stone, Monumental’s chief commercial officer and president of business operations, said in a statement.
The event will be free to attend and will air live on Fox Sports.
“This is an incredible partnership built to make history on the streets of our nation’s capital,” said Bud Denker, chairman of the race and president of Penske Corp.
The race is part of a yearlong initiative to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence.
“We’re celebrating greatness with American motor racing,” Mr. Trump told reporters last week in the Oval Office. “And I said, pick our best site. It’s very important. Pick the best site. Don’t go for second or third because there are a lot of different routes. I said pick, even if it’s more difficult to get approved, pick the absolute best site.”
Outgoing Mayor Muriel Bowser indicated that city officials are ready to help federal agencies orchestrate the race.
“We love it,” she said at a press conference on Friday. “We absolutely love it.”
The District has hosted a similar event just once. The short-lived American Le Mans Series ran the Cadillac Grand Prix in the streets around RFK Stadium in 2002. The race never returned to the District after widespread complaints from residents regarding noise, traffic complications and environmental impacts.
This year’s race route — far from any residential areas —would likely dodge the noise complaints. The race will still require congressional approval.
The IndyCar race is one of several salutes to the U.S. Semiquincentennial.
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will don “America 250” patches on their jerseys this Sunday as they square off in the Super Bowl.
In June, the White House’s East Lawn will host a professional sporting event for the first time in its history. The UFC will bring a mixed martial arts showcase to the president’s residence on June 14.
“They’re building, literally, a stadium,” Mr. Trump said of the UFC event. “We’re going to have over 100,000 people.”
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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