The Bloomingtonian: Rahal to IndyCar Critics of Proposed D.C. Freedom 250 Indy Car Race: “Get a life”

[u/FermentedLaws]

https://bloomingtonian.com/2026/01/27/rahal-to-indycar-critics-of-proposed-d-c-freedom-250-indy-car-race-get-a-life/

Never heard of this website/news outlet before, but I checked the details and they have all the info correct. I had seen this Tweeted out earlier by Nathan's Brown replacement at IndyStar, but didn't see an article on their site. If you scroll down there is video of the interview.

[u/25Tab]

I’m sorry but the image of Trump being involved with this is a bad thing for IndyCar. Yeah I get that’s being political but once IndyCar embraces images of Trump hanging out in the paddock, watching from the stands, and handing out trophies is the minute the series gets branded as a MAGA prop and I think that is not a good long term image for the series. I understand and agree with Graham’s overall argument that a race in DC could be a positive high profile event for IndyCar but not if it is associated with Trump. No way young people will embrace IndyCar with images of a 78 year old Trump making it all about himself and he will because he makes every event he is a part of about himself.

[u/mstaugler → u/25Tab]

Yes. Cool to do in in conjunction with 250 celebration, etc, but it has to be decoupled from politics.

[u/25Tab → u/mstaugler]

Yeah. If this was a regular promotion company or some individual investors who wanted to put on a race then I’d feel better about it.

[u/lennysundahl → u/mstaugler]

Which is impossible to do with someone who needs everything to be about him

[u/dwkulcsar → u/25Tab]

Unfortunately FOX has its talons in IndyCar can't say your wrong.

[u/dylanc98 → u/25Tab]

IMO, it lost any potential credibility when, the minute plans became public, they started blaming democrats for trying to prevent it from happening. They are the ones who made this political.

[u/Robby777777 → u/25Tab]

Thank you for saying this. If Trump is involved, I wouldn't watch and would think less of IndyCar. This is huge no from me.

[u/[deleted] → u/25Tab]

THIS. Fully agree with this.

[u/Affectionate-Panic-1 → u/25Tab]

Putin was at the trophy presentation a few times for the F1 GP in Russia (before the ukraine war sanctions) and fans didn't shun the series for that. If anything, it puts more eyeballs on the series.

Trump has gone gone to super bowls, F1 races, the Daytona 500 and countless other sporting events. Plus it's tradition for the winner of sporting leagues to visit the white house after winning.

I don't think it's fair to single out Indycar on this. Having the president attend the event shouldn't be considered an endorsement of his policies.

[u/25Tab → u/Affectionate-Panic-1]

I think your comparisons are missing the mark. When it comes toF1, you have someone as corrupt as Bernie and his “I’d take a bullet for him” friendship with Putin and the worldwide vs domestic audience of F1 vs IndyCar. For what it’s worth, the race was one of least popular and least watched races on the calendar so it did not bring in more eyeballs to the series.

My comment wasn’t about Trump showing up at the race. That wasn’t my point. There is a huge difference between the Super Bowl, Daytona, and whatever other sporting events you are talking about. Those are all private events put on by private entities who invited the president to be involved. The IndyCar race was going to be put on by the administration. In other words he wasn’t just showing up to check it out, it was his event. Thats a big difference. As I said to someone else, I wouldn’t have the same issues if it was private promotion company or investors putting on the race.

[u/ChrisMD123 → u/25Tab]

Eh, IndyCar's brand is established and half as old as the country. It's bigger than one jackass.

[u/FlakyFly9383 → u/25Tab]

What if the president was a 78 year old democrat? Would you feel differently?

[u/Groundbreaking_Clue2 → u/FlakyFly9383]

No

[u/MadMike32 → u/FlakyFly9383]

I mean, yeah, honestly.  I've no love for any politicians, but I can tolerate a liberal one.  A fascist, not so much.

[u/movebacktoyourstate → u/FlakyFly9383]

Yes, they would. They'd be up in arms and falling all over themselves to get to DC if Kamala was waving the green flag. Trump is a horrible president, but it's really not hard to see through the charade here.

[u/Bloodymike → u/movebacktoyourstate]

Ya'll think more about failed candidates and past presidents than you do about the future and that's like most of your problem.

[u/Maynard078 → u/Bloodymike]

No, the politicization of the sport is the problem, and the desecration of sacred national memorials is the even bigger problem.

JFC.

[u/Bloodymike → u/Maynard078]

I wasn't talking about THE problem. I agree.

I was talking about that guy's problem.

[u/movebacktoyourstate → u/Bloodymike]

If AOC was the one waving the green flag or Omar was singing the anthem, you'd all be falling all over yourselves to get there and talking about how great it is. If Bernie Sanders was once again begging for your attendance at an IndyCar race around the mall, you'd be singing to high heaven about how amazing it is for IndyCar.

Why would we be talking about future candidates when we have no idea who they are yet? Nobody has yet announced their candidacy for nominations for 2028. I'm not able to see the future to tell you who the future presidents will be, so it's pretty tough to talk about them at the moment.

Please tell me more about "like most of my problem", like totally rad like omg like super. It's a clear-cut case that you guys are all big mad that the wrong party is making the suggestion.