Zionsville-based Rahal Letterman Lanigan competes in Trump-backed Freedom 250 IndyCar finale in D.C.
On Aug. 23, 2026, an IndyCar street race in Washington, D.C., served as the final event of the Trump-backed Freedom 250 series; Zionsville-based Rahal Letterman Lanigan was among the teams competing, and its trainer described the physical demands on drivers and crew.
IndyCar teams raced a 1.66-mile street circuit down Pennsylvania and Independence avenues in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 23, 2026, reaching speeds up to 190 mph and completing 147 laps. President Donald Trump waved the green flag to start the race; several military flyovers, including a B-2 bomber and Air Force One, preceded the event. Michigan-based Penske Corp. was the race’s primary sponsor.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan — identified in the report as based in Zionsville — was operating in the paddock for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The team’s strength and conditioning coach described training routines and said the tight street course is physically demanding for drivers and pit crews. The Freedom 250 was described as the final event in the Trump-backed semiquincentennial series, which received some federal funding in 2025 and mainly private contributions.
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