Reverse Sportswashing - IndyCar 2026 Freedom 250 Review

NOTE: We're left-leaning on this podcast, so if you're the sort of sicko that actually likes Donald Trump and willingly turns a blind eye to sportswashing, this episode might not be for you.

But we've been dreading this one to be honest. After seven months of prep and what our beloved Ryan Erik King called "Reverse Sportswashing", IndyCar pulled off the Freedom 250 from Washington D.C, and between us, we break down how we got here, just how much influence The Donald had on the weekend itself, and then of course, the race itself.

Kyle Kirkwood absolutely dominated the weekend, taking the lead from the front row and then leading 128 out of the massive 147 laps. This race took 160 minutes to get through, a slog by IndyCar standards. It was also a startling day for Alex Palou to have his worst weekend in IndyCar. A race ruined by driving over pit equipment, a pitstop error by his crew, losing a lap, and then hitting the inside wall and losing three more enroute to a P20 finish. Championship not quite under wraps just yet. 

And hey, we even had a Scott McLaughlin cameo, before he threw himself into the outside wall. It's something! All that and more on a weird, special, Motorsport101!