Start your engines: Freedom 250 Grand Prix updates and closures through the weekend

Later today, NASCAR and IndyCar drivers will race down Pennsylvania Avenue and past iconic American landmarks like the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building as part of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

The race is happening in front of the U.S. Capitol and along the National Mall Saturday, Aug. 22 and Sunday, Aug. 23.

It’s the first IndyCar race to take place in Washington, D.C., and the two-day event will see those drivers reach speeds over 150 mph as they take 147 laps through the 1.7 mile course.

There will also be celebratory flyovers during the race that anyone — even if you didn’t snag a ticket — will be able to see.

Scenes from the ground

Just before practice rounds began about 9 a.m. on Saturday, the sun briefly appeared on what is likely to be an overcast and rainy day overall.

Revving engines, excited announcers and cheering fans made for a loud, but exciting, start to the day.

“We’re actually IndyCar fans, and we go to other races around the country, so we were excited that they were coming here to Washington, D.C.,” one woman told News4. Her husband said he’s been watching races for his entire life.

“It’s very safe, but it’s still very dangerous,” he said, smiling. “When you’re watching racing on TV, you lose sight of that. You have to come to an event to really understand what the speed is and the risk that a driver takes.”

Early-morning rain added enough water to the track that the drivers defaulted to special wet tires that help prevent hydroplaning at the cars’ high speeds.

Rain or shine, visitors to the Freedom 250 Grand Prix are excited to see drivers race down the historic track. News4’s Jessica Albert reports from Downtown D.C.

Rain or shine, fans watching the race were excited to see something historic.

“We know with racing, they have the tires for it, they have — I’m sure they have the stuff for it,” said one father at the race with his son. “As long as the thunderstorms hold off. So we hope we don’t have any major storms. But because this is just a practice and a qualifying, it may be affecting them a little bit. But I’m thinking tomorrow will probably be the bigger day for these guys.”

The qualifying race, the last race of the day on Saturday, is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The main event is at 1:10 p.m. on Sunday.

Security and road closures cause local headaches

Striking as it may be, the iconic track has made it difficult for locals to get around for weeks, due to numerous road closures and security blockades around the National Mall.

The flyovers will also halt flights at DCA for a few hours on Sunday.

Race weekend is upon. Transportation Reporter Adam Tuss took a look at how final preparations are going.

A massive security perimeter surrounds the race downtown, with closures radiating out in all directions. Snow plows were seen closing off streets blocks away from the race course on Thursday.

Anyone planning to go downtown should use Metrorail and avoid driving, officials said.

Access to some museums along the race route will be limited, including the Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian.

Metrobus detours are also in place.

Scroll below for an updated list of road closures and parking restrictions from the Metropolitan Police Department.

Crews in downtown D.C. were putting the final touches on the grand prix site. News4’s Joseph Olmo reports.

Where to park if you live or work downtown

Here’s a list of specific locations and general areas residents and employees will need to use to reach their destinations, police said.

“If a motorist has a legitimate reason to enter any of these streets, such as residence, parking garage access, or deliveries, their vehicle will be permitted to do so. When a motorist approaches a police officer at a ‘traffic control point,’ a brief explanation of their destination will suffice,” police said.

• Reagan Building: Vehicle traffic is not restricted on 14th Street, NW
• Waldorf Astoria: Travel south on 11th Street from E Street and vehicles will be allowed to cross Pennsylvania Avenue into the hotel.
• 400 block of 10th Street, NW: Enter and exit from 10th Street from E Street, NW
• 500 block of 8th Street, NW: Enter from 8th and F Street, NW
• 400 block of 8th Street, NW: Enter and exit from 7th Street and E Street – travel south on 7th Street
• 800 block of E Street, NW: Enter and exit from 9th Street and E Street, NW
• 800 block of D Street, NW: Enter and exit from 9th Street and E Street, NW
• 700 block of D Street, NW: Enter and exit from 7th Street and D Street – travel south on 7th Street
• 600 block of D Street, NW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and D Street – travel south on 6th Street
• 200 and 300 block of 6th Street, NW: Travel south on 6th Street
• 500 block of C Street, NW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and C Street – travel south on 6th Street
• E Street from 7th Street to 2nd Street, SW: Enter and exit from 7th Street and E Street, 6th Street and E Street, or 4th Street and E Street, SW
• 6th Street from Maryland Avenue to E Street, SW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and E Street, SW
• 600 block of Maryland Avenue, SW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and E Street, SW
• 500 block of C Street, SW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and E Street, SW
• 600 block of Virginia Avenue, SW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and E Street, SW
• 500 block of Virginia Avenue, SW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and E Street, SW
• 600 block of D Street, SW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and E Street, SW or 7th Street and E Street, SW
• 500 block of School Street, SW: Enter and exit from 6th Street and E Street, SW
• 3rd Street from C Street to E Street, SW: Enter and exit from 3rd Street and E Street, SW
• 400 block of Virginia Avenue, SW: Enter and exit from 3rd Street and E Street, SW

NASCAR Hall of Fame member and IndyCar racer Sting Ray Robb talk about preparing to compete in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in D.C. News4’s Juliana Valencia reports.

Going to the race? Here’s which Metro station to use

If you’re planning on going to the race, take note of which Metro stop to use. The best station depends on your ticket.

• For “Stripes” ticket holders, options include Archives, Federal Center SW, L’Enfant Plaza, Judiciary Square, Gallery Place and Metro Center.
• For “Stars” ticket holders, Metro recommends Federal Triangle or Smithsonian.

Here’s more information from Metro.

Ground stop planned at DCA

The Federal Aviation Administration said flights at Reagan National Airport will be paused for three hours on Sunday. The pause is currently scheduled to last from 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., but the FAA says that could change.

The FAA is telling travelers to check their flight status directly with their airlines.

Driver Marcus Ericsson shares his thoughts on the first IndyCar race through the streets of D.C.

Road closures and parking restrictions for Freedom 250 Grand Prix

Here’s the latest list of road closures from D.C. police:

The northbound lane on 9th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW is closed to traffic through Wednesday, Aug. 26.

The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking and closed to vehicle traffic through Thursday, Sept. 3. Local traffic for deliveries or employee access to the museums will be permitted during this time period.

• 4th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
• Madison Drive from 7th Street to 3rd Street, NW
• Jefferson Drive from 7th Street to 3rd Street, SW

These roads will be posted as Emergency No Parking through Thursday, Sept. 3:

• Pennsylvania Avenue from 10th Street to 3rd Street, NW
• Constitution Avenue from 9th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
• 6th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
• 7th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Madison Drive, NW
• Independence Avenue from 7th Street to 3rd Street, SW
• Maryland Avenue from Independence Avenue to 3rd Street, SW’

These roads will be closed to vehicles through Wednesday, Aug. 26, according to the Metropolitan Police Department:

• Pennsylvania Avenue from 9th Street to 3rd Street, NW
• Constitution Avenue from 9th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
• 7th Street from D Street to Independence Avenue, SW
• Indiana Avenue from 7th Street to Indiana Avenue/D Street, NW
• 6th Street from D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• Madison Drive from 14th Street to 7th Street, NW
• Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 7th Street, NW
• 12th Street from Constitution Avenue to Madison Drive, NW
• 12th Street from Jefferson Drive to Independence Avenue, SW
• 3rd Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to C Street, SW
• 3rd Street from C Street to D Street, SW (Congressional traffic will be permitted access)
• Maryland Avenue from Independence Avenue to 3rd Street, SW
• Independence Avenue from 7th Street to Washington Avenue, SW
• Maryland Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, SW
• 6th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
• 4th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
• C Street from 4th Street to 2nd Street, SW (Congressional traffic will be permitted access)

The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26:

• Pennsylvania Avenue from 11th Street to 10th Street, NW
• 10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• 9th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
• 8th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• E Street from 10th Street to 6th Street, NW
• D Street from 9th Street to 6th Street, NW
• Constitution Avenue from 15th Street to 9th Street, NW
• C Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
• 3rd Street from Indiana Avenue/D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• Constitution Avenue from 3rd Street to First Street, NW
• Louisiana Avenue from Constitution Avenue to First Street, NW
• Independence Avenue from 14th Street to 7th Street, SW
• 9th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
• C Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, SW
• 7th Street from Independence Avenue to D Street, SW
• 6th Street from C Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
• C Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
• 4th Street from C Street to D Street, SW
• Virginia Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, SW

The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26:

• Pennsylvania Avenue from 11th Street to 9th Street, NW
• 10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• 9th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• 8th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• D Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, NW
• Constitution Avenue from 14th Street to 9th Street, NW
• Entrance to 9th Street Tunnel from Constitution Avenue, NW
• C Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
• 3rd Street from Indiana Avenue/D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• Constitution Avenue from 3rd Street to First Street, NW
• Louisiana Avenue from Constitution Avenue to First Street, NW
• Independence Avenue from 14th Street to 7th Street, SW
• 9th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
• C Street from 9th Street to 7th Street, SW
• 7th Street from Independence Avenue to D Street, SW
• 6th Street from C Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
• C Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
• 4th Street from C Street to D Street, SW
• Virginia Avenue from 7th Street to 6th Street, SW

From Friday, August 21, 2026, at 3:00 a.m., through Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., the following streets will be Emergency No Parking:

• Pennsylvania Avenue from 13th Street to 11th Street, NW
• 12th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
• 9th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
• 8th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
• 7th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• 6th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• 5th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• Indiana Avenue/D Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
• 2nd Street from Constitution Avenue to C Street, NW
• C Street from 2nd Street to First Street, NW
• First Street from D Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• Louisiana Avenue from First Street to D Street, NW
• 12th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
• D Street from 9th Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
• Virginia Avenue from 6th Street to 3rd Street, SW
• 7th Street from D Street to E Street, SW
• 6th Street from D Street to E Street, SW
• 4th Street from Virginia Avenue to E Street, SW
• School Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
• D Street from 4th Street to 2nd Street, SW
• 3rd Street from D Street to E Street, SW
• 2nd Street from Virginia Avenue to E Street, SW
• E Street from 7th Street to 2nd Street, SW

From Friday, August 21 2026, at 3 a.m., through Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic.

• 12th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
• E Street from 11th Street to 8th Street, NW
• 7th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• Indiana Avenue from 6th Street to D Street, NW
• 5th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• Indiana Avenue/D Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street, NW
• 2nd Street from Constitution Avenue to C Street, NW
• C Street from 2nd Street to First Street, NW
• First Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
• Louisiana Avenue from First Street to D Street, NW
• New Jersey Avenue from D Street to Louisiana Avenue, NW
• The ramp at Exit 9 from Northbound 3rd Street Tunnel to First Street, NW
• 12th Street from Independence Avenue to C Street, SW
• Inbound Case Bridge ramp to 12th Street Expressway/Tunnel
• Exit to 12th Street Expressway from westbound I395 (All traffic will continue west toward Maine Avenue)
• 12th Street Expressway
• L’Enfant Plaza from Independence Avenue to Spy Museum
• Ramp from southbound 3rd Street Tunnel to 2nd Street, SW
• C Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
• 4th Street from C Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
• D Street from 4th Street to 3rd Street, SW
• E Street from 3rd Street to 2nd Street, SW

From Friday, August 21 2026, at 3 a.m., through Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., the following streets will be closed to “thru” traffic and restricted to “local vehicles” only. If a motorist has a reason to enter these streets (resident, parking garage, delivery, etc), the vehicle will be allowed access to these streets.

• Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street to 11th Street, NW
• 13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
• 12th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
• 11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
• 10th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
• 9th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
• 8th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
• 7th Street from F Street to E Street, NW
• E Street from 8th Street to 6th Street, NW
• 6th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• D Street from 7th Street to 6th Street, NW
• 4th Street from E Street to D Street, NW
• First Street from D Street to C Street, NW
• New Jersey Avenue from D Street to Louisiana Avenue, NW
• L’Enfant Plaza from Spy Museum to 9th Street, SW
• D Street from 12th Street to Virginia Avenue, SW
• D Street from 3rd Street to 2nd Street, SW
• Virginia Avenue from 6th Street to 3rd Street, SW
• Frontage Road from 10th Street to 7th Street, SW
• 7th Street from D Street to I Street, SW
• 6th Street from Virginia Avenue to E Street, SW
• 4th Street from Virginia Avenue to I Street, SW
• School Street from 6th Street to 4th Street, SW
• 3rd Street from D Street to E Street, SW
• D Street from 3rd Street to 2nd Street, SW
• Virginia Avenue from 3rd Street to 2nd Street, SW
• 2nd Street from Washington Avenue to E Street, SW
• E Street from 7th Street to 3rd Street, SW