Trump kicks off Freedom 250 IndyCar race in the streets of Washington, D.C.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump began the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race through the streets of Washington, D.C., with a slow lap around the course.

Then the president kicked off the race, waving the green flag as drivers began whipping through the capital city’s downtown, including a stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue not too far from the White House.

The open-wheel race, with cars whizzing past Washington’s monuments at speeds approaching 200 mph, is the latest of Mr. Trump’s celebrations this year to mark America’s 250th birthday.

The celebrations ahead of the race included a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by tenor Christopher Macchio, a favorite singer of the president, and a military aircraft flyover featuring a B-2 stealth bomber and the Qatar-gifted Air Force One, escorted by four fighter jets.

Mr. Trump in his second term has increasingly seemed to focus on relishing the presidency’s ceremonial aspects. That’s included a healthy dose of visits to sporting events — including an appearance last month at the World Cup final, where he presented the trophy to winner Spain and lingered onstage with the team as its members jumped in a hail of confetti.

IndyCar series owner Roger Penske, a longtime friend of Mr. Trump’s who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from him in 2019, helped lead the effort to bring the race to Washington.

Mr. Trump told Fox on Sunday that Penske told him that he had been trying to bring the race to Washington for 20 years.

“When he came to see Trump, it got done in about 15 minutes, and it’s turned out to be much bigger than we ever even thought possible,” the president said, referring to himself in the third person.

An executive order Mr. Trump signed earlier this year calling for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix declared that the “cars and drivers inspire awe and respect in all who watch this quintessentially American sport,” and the event will “showcase the majesty of our great city as drivers navigate a track around our iconic national monuments in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.”

IndyCar is one of the world’s leading open-wheel racing series, generally regarded as second only to Formula 1 in global popularity and prestige. The series is among the fastest racing categories, with cars capable of reaching 230 mph. Its premier event is the Indianapolis 500, one of three races that constitute the “triple crown of motorsport.”