Trump waves green flag as IndyCar racers tear through Washington for US 250th anniversary

Racing cars hurtled through the heart of the US capital at nearly 200 miles per hour (about 320 kilometers per hour) on Sunday local time, as President Donald Trump waved the green flag to start the race that morning, sending open-wheel cars — whose tires extend beyond the bodywork — roaring down the course.

The event, officially named the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, is an IndyCar Series race that begins near the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial and winds past the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The circuit stretches 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) and includes seven corners looping around the National Mall. Drivers completed 147 laps for a total race distance of 250 miles (about 402 kilometers) — a figure chosen to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Penske, which operates IndyCar, said the Washington circuit is the longest street course in IndyCar history. IndyCar is a globally recognized open-wheel racing series, widely regarded as second only to Formula 1 in popularity and prestige.

An earlier plan to route the circuit around the US Capitol was scrapped after Congress withheld approval, but nearly 300,000 spectators still lined the course to watch the cars blast through streets where the normal speed limit is just 35 miles per hour.

Organizers welded down 200 manhole covers along the route to prevent them from being sucked up by the cars' aerodynamic downforce, and the National Gallery of Art put protective measures in place to shield its collection from vibrations caused by the passing vehicles.

IndyCar is owned by Roger Penske, a celebrated former racing driver and a friend of President Trump. The organizers covered all costs for the event, estimated at $20 million to $30 million.

Before the race began, Trump completed an honorary lap around the circuit aboard his presidential limousine, "The Beast." In a Fox News interview, he said, "I'm going to do a lap in a beautiful, safe car — a little slower than the ones we're going to see."

Several drivers dressed as Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln — presidents celebrated as great leaders — in a nod to the nation's 250th anniversary. The ceremonial flyover featured the new Air Force One gifted to Trump by Qatar, along with a US military B-2 stealth bomber, both passing over Washington.

Earlier, Trump had staged a series of American-style events in Washington to mark the 250th anniversary, including what he billed as the largest fireworks display in history and a UFC bout on the White House lawn. The Associated Press noted that Trump sought to showcase his achievements on a grand scale — through the renovation of the Reflecting Pool, the construction of a large banquet hall at the White House, and a string of spectacles aligned with his personal tastes — capping it all with a competition of automotive horsepower.

Racer Graham Rahal, who competed in the event, told the Wall Street Journal that the Washington course had "added an extra layer of patriotism to the sport."