Kirkwood gives the Freedom 250 an American winner on the streets of downtown Washington

Kyle Kirkwood secured the Freedom 250 an American victory, claiming his second win of the IndyCar season in Washington's downtown streets. The race marked the 250th anniversary celebration, with President Donald Trump initiating the race and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser serving as the grand marshal. Kirkwood led for 128 of the 147 laps, crossing the finish line 3.09 seconds ahead of Christian Lundgaard.

His victory came after Will Power and Marcus Ericsson, both teammates with Andretti Global, secured third and fourth places respectively. In the early stages, debris in Turn 4 caused a caution period. David Malukas crashed into Sting Ray Robb, resulting in two American drivers exiting the race. Alex Palou, who had a chance to clinch the series title, finished 20th, marking his worst performance of the year.

A tire issue later affected Palou's performance. Kirkwood's dominance was evident, as he pulled off a strong restart and maintained control, allowing Scott McLaughlin to crash into a tire barrier and Kirkwood to secure the victory with 13 laps remaining.