Kyle Kirkwood wins Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race in the streets of Washington, D.C., after Trump kicks off race

Updated on: August 23, 2026 / 4:45 PM EDT / CBS/AP Kyle Kirkwood gave the Freedom 250 an American winner, racing to his second victory of the IndyCar season on the streets of downtown Washington, D.C., in a dominant performance Sunday. Will Power and Marcus Ericsson, Kirkwood's teammates with Andretti Global, finished third and fourth. Pole winner Alex Palou, who had a chance to clinch the series title, finished 20th in his second-worst showing of the year. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump began the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race with a slow lap around the course. Then the president kicked off the race, waving the green flag as drivers began whipping through the capital city's downtown, including a stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue not too far from the White House.

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