Freedom 250 delivers record IndyCar TV rating on Fox

IndyCar's Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a one-time street race in Washington, D.C., surpassed all other non-Indianapolis 500 races in terms of viewership since the 2008 merger with Champ Car, according to Fox. The network attracted 3.282 million viewers for Sunday's event, which was won by Kyle Kirkwood from Andretti Global. Kirkwood led for 128 of the 147 laps, marking his second win of the season.

Viewership peaked between 2:30 and 2:45 p.m., reaching 3.482 million viewers. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix was organized following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January, and it was completed in less than seven months. The race took place on a seven-turn, 1.7-mile street circuit in front of the Capitol Building.

Initially planned for 125 laps, the event was extended to 250 miles by adding 22 laps in August. Fox, now in its second year of broadcasting IndyCar, aired a 90-minute pre-race show before switching to the live broadcast at 1 p.m., following a green flag. Seven military flyovers were conducted during the race. President Trump attended the event, riding a lap on the course inside the presidential limousine, The Beast, before waving the green flag from his suite.

The success of the race has led to discussions among teams, drivers, and government officials about making the event a regular occurrence. Bud Denker, President of Penske Corporation, indicated that the decision to continue the race will likely be made by IndyCar, under the leadership of series owner Roger Penske. President Trump expressed his support, mentioning his interest in the race for five years to ensure its continuation through his term and beyond.

IndyCar has averaged 1.875 million viewers through its 15 races this season, marking a 32% increase from the same period last year. This marks the highest viewership since the 2008 merger between IndyCar and Champ Car. Zion Brown is a motorsports reporter for IndyStar, covering IndyCar, and can be reached at @z10nbr0wn.