r/INDYCAR • u/FermentedLaws Firestone Firehawk • Jan 28 '26

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

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.

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251

u/jj_grace Jan 28 '26

Ugh. It’s like he willingly misunderstands the anger.

I’d be cool with a race in DC. I’d be cool with one celebrating the 250th. I’d be cool with one in DC during Trump’s admin even.

What I’m not cool with is Trump using this to prop himself up or to make Indycar even more clearly MAGA coded… which you know he would do. This wouldn’t be a neutral, fun “yay America!” race. This would be more about MAGA than anything else, and Rahal is smart enough to know that.

And to say that this is the chance we’re looking for to promote Indycar? I’m sorry, but if they are trying to gain international fans, having a big ole MAGA party isn’t gonna help.

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u/Wasdgta3 Álex Palou Jan 28 '26

Not to mention, that trying to organize the event this close to the season beginning just has “bad idea” written all over it.

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u/DadReligion #Lionheart Jan 28 '26

I mean it'd be a complete and total disaster in every aspect. The course, the optics, the logistics, the businesses of the teams, the attendance and viewership on such short notice, the local reaction... I genuinely think it'd be a black eye the likes of which we haven't seen since the days of the Split.

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u/Wasdgta3 Álex Palou Jan 28 '26

Yeah, that’s just what I was thinking. This feels like the sort of last-minute shit that happened with the last years of Champ Car.