INDYCAR's Freedom 250 Will Be An Unforgettable Race With A Monumental Track

In Driver's Eye with James Hinchcliffe , the six-time INDYCAR winner will bring you inside the mind of a racer while breaking down the nuts and bolts of the sport for fans.

After a late arrival on the schedule , a myriad of complex logistical hurdles and an unprecedented (but totally justified) amount of promotion and hype , we are finally here: INDYCAR's Freedom 250 .

For many people, being able to attend an Indianapolis 500 — or indeed any INDYCAR race — could be a once-in-a-lifetime proposition.

We in the industry often forget how lucky we are to get to go to the race track for a living.

But even those of us who live and breathe motorsports will be in for a once-in-a-lifetime event this weekend.

This is shaping up to truly be one of the most exceptional events in the long and storied history of INDYCAR for a number of reasons.

Let’s start with the setting.

Having a race track built in D.C., around the National Mall no less, is certainly not something many people thought they would see in their lifetime.

To build a track, you have to meet certain prerequisites, and — by a bit of luck and a lot of hard work from a lot of people, both on the D.C. side and the INDYCAR/Penske Entertainment side — all boxes were checked.

The backdrop will be unmatched and the visuals will be stunning, as Indy cars flash by some of the nation’s most recognizable monuments and buildings in a 180-mile-an-hour blur.

The challenge for the drivers will be equally monumental.

We’ve already had two brand-new street circuits this season, so the idea of it all seems old hat by now.

But with D.C., things are a little different.

Unlike the streets of Arlington, Texas, and Markham, Ontario, D.C. has not been laser scanned to make an accurate track model for the sim.