Crowds surged and 3.282 million viewers tuned in for the NTT IndyCar Series Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, DC. The race became the most-watched non-Indy 500 event since the 2008 Champ Car‑IRL merger.
Record Numbers
The broadcast reached a staggering 279% increase over the series’ average for Sunday non‑Indy 500 races. FOX Sports reported the figure.
That viewership lifted the IndyCar season average to 1.875 million. It represents a 32% rise from last season and a 70% jump from 2024 when NBC and Peacock handled the broadcast, FOX Sports reported.
Economic Impact
Spectators are expected to fill 140,000 seats per day. The event should generate more than $200 million for the city, according to Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Race Highlights
Kyle Kirkwood, driving the #27 Sam’s Club Honda for Andretti Global, dominated the event, taking the lead on lap one and holding it through the final lap. He withstood a Turn 1 incident on his qualifying run, his team said.
He fended off pressure from Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin and Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard during late restarts. The team confirmed his victory.
Championship Implications
Kirkwood’s win and a rough outing by championship leader Alex Palou have set up a tight title battle for the final three races. The series announced the developing competition.
The IndyCar schedule now moves to a doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile before concluding with a road‑course showdown at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. All three events will air on FOX, the network said.
Looking Ahead
Momentum from the Freedom 250 is expected to carry into Milwaukee, where two oval races will test the series’ growing audience. Analysts noted the rising interest.
Matthew Reigle is a writer for OutKick.
