Topline
American driver Kyle Kirkwood won the Freedom 250 IndyCar race in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, as President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended the latest event the president promoted to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
Key Facts
Before the race began, Trump completed a ceremonial first lap in his presidential limousine, while Air Force One and fighter jets performed a flyover overhead.
Trump kicked the race off by waving a green flag at 1:18 p.m. EDT, with Kirkwood crossing the finish line around 4 p.m.
The 1.7-mile winding course traversed a section of the National Mall near the Capitol and included a straightaway downPennsylvania Avenue, which drivers circled for 147 laps and 250 miles in total.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office previously said the city expected roughly 140,000 spectators watching the event.
Surprising Fact
Kirkwood is a member of Andretti Global, the racing team owned by billionaire Mark Walter’s TWG Global. Walter, the CEO of Guggenheim Partners, is worth an estimated $7.3 billion, and became famous for purchasing ownership stakes in marquee sports franchises, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers and a minority stake in Chelsea F.C. He is now selling the Los Angeles Lakers for a record $12.5 billion valuation to billionaire Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger in a highly controversial deal only around a year after he bought the team. Walter is also reportedly facing federal probes into his business deals, possibly prompting the surprise sale of the legendary NBA team.