Washington, D.C. is about to make motorsports history with a race unlike anything the nation’s capital has ever hosted.
Later this month, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will bring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to a temporary street circuit winding through the National Mall and some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The two-day event is part of the nationwide celebration marking America’s 250th anniversary and promises world-class racing alongside fan experiences — all with free general admission for those who secured tickets.
If you’re planning to be anywhere near downtown D.C. that weekend, here’s everything you need to know.
When and where is the Freedom 250 Grand Prix taking place?
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will take place Saturday, August 22nd, and Sunday, August 23rd, on a temporary street circuit built around the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
It marks the first-ever INDYCAR race held on the National Mall, making it one of the most unique races on the series calendar.
The event is designed to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, with race cars speeding past landmarks including the Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol, and museums along the Mall.
Practice and qualifying sessions are scheduled for Saturday, while the main race begins Sunday at 1 pm.
The circuit stretches approximately 1.7 miles through downtown streets, creating an unforgettable backdrop for one of North America’s premier open-wheel racing series.
How will the Freedom 250 Grand Prix impact Washington, D.C.?
Anyone planning to travel downtown during race weekend should expect major traffic disruptions.
Construction of the temporary race circuit has already triggered road closures and parking restrictions, with additional closures leading up to and during the event.
Officials are encouraging residents and visitors to avoid driving downtown whenever possible, instead using Metro, which plans to increase service throughout the weekend.
Numerous Metrobus routes will also be detoured, while a significant security presence—including local and federal law enforcement—will be in place around the race venue.
If you’re visiting museums, monuments, or other downtown attractions that weekend, it’s worth checking traffic and transit updates before heading out.
Road closures to be aware of ahead of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix
From Friday, August 14, 2026, through Thursday, September 3, 2026, the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking:
- 7th Street from D Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- Indiana Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, NW
- 6th Street from D Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- Madison Drive from 14th Street to 7th Street, NW
- Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 7th Street, NW
- 12th Street from Constitution Avenue to Madison Drive, NW
- 12th Street from Jefferson Drive to Independence Avenue, SW
- Maryland Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, SW
- 6th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- 4th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- 3rd Street from Independence Avenue to D Street, SW
- C Street from 4th Street to 2nd Street, SW
From Friday, August 14, 2026, through Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 9th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- Constitution Avenue from 9th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 7th Street from D Street to Independence Avenue, SW
- Indiana Avenue from 7th Street to Indiana Avenue/D Street, NW
- 6th Street from D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Madison Drive from 14th Street to 7th Street, NW
- Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 7th Street, NW
- 12th Street from Constitution Avenue to Madison Drive, NW
- 12th Street from Jefferson Drive to Independence Avenue, SW
- 3rd Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to D Street, SW
- Maryland Avenue from Independence Avenue to 3rd Street, SW
- Independence Avenue from 7th Street to Washington Avenue, SW
- Maryland Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, SW
- 6th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- 4th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- C Street from 4th Street to 2nd Street, SW
From Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 6:00 am, through Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm, the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking:
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 11th Street to 10th Street, NW
- 10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 9th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 8th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- E Street from 10th Street to 6th Street, NW
- D Street from 9th Street to 6th Street, NW
- Constitution Avenue from 15th Street to 9th Street, NW
- C Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- 3rd Street from Indiana Avenue/D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Constitution Avenue from 3rd Street to First Street, NW
- Louisiana Avenue from Constitution Avenue to First Street, NW
- Independence Avenue from 14th Street to 7th Street, SW
- 9th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- C Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, SW
- 7th Street from Independence Avenue to D Street, SW
- 6th Street from C Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
- C Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
- 4th Street from C Street to D Street, SW
- Virginia Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, SW
From Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 6:00 am, through Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm, the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 11th Street to 9th Street, NW
- 10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 9th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 8th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- D Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, NW
- Constitution Avenue from 14th Street to 9th Street, NW
- Entrance to 9th Street Tunnel from Constitution Avenue, NW
- C Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- 3rd Street from Indiana Avenue/D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Constitution Avenue from 3rd Street to First Street, NW
- Louisiana Avenue from Constitution Avenue to First Street, NW
- Independence Avenue from 14th Street to 7th Street, SW
- 9th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- C Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, SW
- 7th Street from Independence Avenue to D Street, SW
- 6th Street from C Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
- C Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
- 4th Street from C Street to D Street, SW
- Virginia Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, SW
From Friday, August 21, 2026, at 3:00 am, through Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm, the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking:
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 13th Street to 11th Street, NW
- 12th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 9th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
- 8th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
- 7th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- 6th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- 5th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- Indiana Avenue/D Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- 2nd Street from Constitution Avenue to C Street, NW
- C Street from 2nd Street to First Street, NW
- First Street from D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Louisiana Avenue from First Street to D Street, NW
- 12th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- D Street from 9th Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
- Virginia Avenue from 6th Street to 2nd Street, SW
- 7th Street from D Street to E Street, SW
- 6th Street from D Street to E Street, SW
- 4th Street from Virginia Avenue to E Street, SW
- School Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
- D Street from 4th Street to 2nd Street, SW
- 3rd Street from D Street to E Street, SW
- 2nd Street from Washington Avenue to E Street, SW
- E Street from 7th Street to 2nd Street, SW
From Friday, August 21, 2026, at 3:00 am, through Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm, the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:
- 12th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
- E Street from 11th Street to 8th Street, NW
- 7th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- Indiana Avenue from 6th Street to D Street, NW
- 5th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- Indiana Avenue/D Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- 2nd Street from Constitution Avenue to C Street, NW
- C Street from 2nd Street to First Street, NW
- First Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- Louisiana Avenue from First Street to D Street, NW
- New Jersey Avenue from D Street to Louisiana Avenue, NW
- The ramp at Exit 9 from Northbound 3rd Street Tunnel to First Street, NW
- 12th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
- Inbound Case Bridge ramp to 12th Street Expressway/Tunnel
- Exit to 12th Street Expressway from westbound I395 (All traffic will continue west toward Maine Avenue)
- 12th Street Expressway
- L’Enfant Plaza from Independence Avenue to Spy Museum
- Virginia Avenue from 3rd Street to 2nd Street, SW
- Ramp from southbound 3rd Street Tunnel to 2nd Street, SW
- C Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
- 4th Street from C Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
- D Street from 4th Street to 2nd Street, SW
- 3rd Street from D Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
- 2nd Street from Washington Avenue to E Street, SW
- E Street from 3rd Street to 2nd Street, SW
From Friday, August 21 2026, at 3:00 am, through Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm, the following streets will be closed to “thru” traffic and restricted to “local vehicles” only.
If a motorist has a reason to enter these streets (resident, parking garage, delivery, etc), the vehicle will be allowed access to these streets.
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street to 11th Street, NW
- 13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 12th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 10th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
- 9th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
- 8th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
- 7th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
- E Street from 8th Street to 6th Street, NW
- 6th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- D Street from 7th Street to 6th Street, NW
- 4th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
- First Street from D Street to C Street, NW
- New Jersey Avenue from D Street to Louisiana Avenue, NW
- L’Enfant Plaza from Spy Museum to 9th Street, SW
- D Street from 12th Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
- Virginia Avenue from 6th Street to 3rd Street, SW
- Frontage Road from 10th Street to 7th Street, SW
- 7th Street from D Street to I Street, SW
- 6th Street from Virginia Avenue to E Street, SW
- 4th Street from Virginia Avenue to I Street, SW
- School Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
- 3rd Street from Virginia Avenue to E Street, SW
- E Street from 7th Street to 3rd Street, SW
Is the Freedom 250 Grand Prix free to attend?
Yes. General admission to the Freedom 250 Grand Prix is free, however, fans needed to request tickets in advance.
The ticket request window has now closed, and organizers say no additional general admission tickets are available.
Fans who received tickets have been assigned to one of two designated viewing areas—STARS or STRIPES—with large video screens, concessions, and access specific to their assigned zone.
While the event itself is free, attendees should remember that tickets are required for entry into the designated spectator areas.
