IndyCar champions take over Times Square to celebrate Freedom 250 Grand Prix
IndyCar’s Joseph Newgarden, Kyle Kirkwood and commentator Will Buxton join ‘Fox & Friends’ in Times Square to preview the highly anticipated Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The special racing event in Washington, D.C., brings high-speed excitement to the nation’s capital. Drivers discuss the unique street course layout and the thrill of racing near iconic American landmarks.
The centerpiece of the NTT IndyCar Series is the Indianapolis 500, nicknamed “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
But the series is gearing up for what might be its biggest spectacle ever to hit the streets, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, which will see America’s premier open-wheel series racing past some of the country’s most iconic landmarks.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood stopped by Channel’s “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday, along with Fox Sports IndyCar commentator Will Buxton, to talk about the once-in-a-lifetime event.
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IndyCar drivers Josef Newgarden (left) and Kyle Kirkwood discussed the series’ ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity to celebrate America by racing on the streets of Washington, DC. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and Michael L. Levitt/Lumen via Getty Images)
“It’s going to be absolutely incredible — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see IndyCars racing around the nation’s capital,” Buxton said. “I’m a student of history, okay? The automobile was invented in 1886. The first-ever auto race in America (happened in) 1895. The first Indianapolis 500 happened just 16 years later. That means that for over one-half of this great nation’s history, car culture and, more particularly, auto racing has been right at the very heart of what makes this country great. We’re here to celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a once-in-a-lifetime race around Washington, DC.”
Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet for Team Penske, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, and a two-time series champion, echoed the need to embrace something that the series may never get to do again.
Work continues on the Washington, DC street circuit that will be used for the Greedom 250 Grand Prix. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP)
“I don’t know when we’re going to have an opportunity to race in our nation’s capital again with an IndyCar,” he said. “So, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Want to go out there and win with our team — with Team Penske — and obviously represent the country.”
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Kirkwood, driver of Andretti Global’s No. 27 Honda, is currently second in the championship standings and always a threat when the series travels to a street circuit.
The street circuit will feature a start-finish line that has the US Capitol Building as its backdrop. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images))
“This has been going on for many, many months, setting up the track, which is on down Pennsylvania (Avenue), around the museums, and then (goes) right by the Capitol. It’s going to be a beautiful backdrop,” Kirkwood said. “Suites are incredible; 100,000 people on both days out there to see the event. We can’t wait, as drivers. It’s going to be awesome.
Practice gets Saturday morning underway, with qualifying slated for early that evening.
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The Grand Prix gets underway at 1 p.m. ET, with pre-race coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. on FOX.
