Future street-car races could be coming to downtown Washington, D.C., with Mayor Muriel Bowser teasing the prospect during a Wednesday press conference on the Freedom 250 Grand Prix next month.
Bowser emphasized the upcoming IndyCar Series race is the “first ever” to be held in the nation’s capital.
“You notice I said first, to be followed by second and third,” she said. The comment drew some chuckles from those in attendance.
When later asked by a reporter whether she’s serious about bringing more races to D.C., the outgoing mayor indicated she was “very serious” about the idea.
“We have spent 12 years leaning into our sports and entertainment economy, and it’s a part of our economy that is operating very well,” she said before touting her administration’s efforts to bring back the Washington Commanders to the District with a state-of-the-art stadium by 2030.
Bowser said her office has visited different sites in Texas and California that hold street races.
“We went down to Arlington. I was recently in Long Beach. I talked to the former mayor of Long Beach, who is now the Democratic ranking member for the oversight committee,” she said, referencing Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA). He “had great things to say about street racing in Long Beach and what it did for Long Beach,” she added.
Washington, D.C., has the chance to test-drive street racing with the IndyCar event, one part of America’s 250th birthday celebrations. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will run Aug. 22-23, with race cars speeding at roughly 185 miles per hour along a 1.7-mile track on the National Mall.
DOWNTOWN DC PREPARES FOR FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX: WHAT TO KNOW
President Donald Trump, in coordination with Bowser, led the charge in bringing the Grand Prix to the District. Both Trump and Bowser have expressed excitement in the weeks leading up to the event, which will require high levels of security.
“We want to obviously make the world know that D.C. is the place for world-class sporting events,” Bowser concluded.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
