Race fans turned out in droves to check out the NTT IndyCar Series’ Freedom 250 Grand Prix around the streets of Washington, DC, and a whole lot more were watching at home.
How many?
Well, enough to make it the most-watched non-Indianapolis 500 race the Series has seen since the Champ Car and IRL merger in 2008.
FOX Sports reports that 3.282 million viewers tuned in to see open-wheel racing around some of the most iconic landmarks the nation’s capital has to offer.
That figure is a staggering 279% over the average for non-Indy 500 races on Sundays.
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It also brings the IndyCar season average up to 1.875 million viewers, a 32% increase over last season, and a 70% jump over 2024, when the series was broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
Spectators watch an NTT IndyCar practice run during the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. The event is expected to draw 140,000 people per day and generate more than $200 million for the city. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Clearly, the spectacle of celebrating 250 years of the United States of America with an IndyCar race around the National Mall worked.
Of course, it helped that it was an entertaining race.
Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the #27 Sam’s Club Honda celebrates with his crew after winning the NTT INDYCAR Series Freedom 250 on Aug. 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Jupiter, Florida native Kyle Kirkwood was the man to beat in his No. 27 Andretti Global Honda almost all weekend, and would’ve maximized his points haul had it not been for a Turn 1 moment on his final lap of qualifying. Still, his pace was virtually unmatched, and he took the lead from Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou on the opening lap.
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While Kirkwood maintained control the entire race, some late restarts saw him having to fend off some pressure from Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin and Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard.
It’ll be interesting to see if the series’ momentum continues as it moves on to a doubleheader weekend at the Milwaukee Mile.
Fans line a building along Pennsylvania Avenue to get a bird’s-eye view of IndyCar’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix. (Photo by Eric Lee/Getty Images)
Thanks to that win and a rough race for championship leader Alex Palou, we’ve got a title battle shaping up through the final three races of the season.
After the two oval races in Milwaukee, the 2026 IndyCar series will wrap up with a road course race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
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All three of these races will air on FOX.
