Gordon, Kanaan, Castroneves headline IROC race in D.C. ahead of IndyCar's Freedom 250

A support series race has been announced for IndyCar's Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The International Race of Champions (IROC) will hold a race on the street circuit in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 22, a day before the historic IndyCar race on the National Mall.

IndyCar legends and Indy 500 champions Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti will compete in the race alongside NASCAR Cup Series champions Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Bill Elliott. The drivers will pilot IROC Pontiac Firebirds that the series used from 1996 to 2006.

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IROC was created in 1973 by IndyCar owner Roger Penske, former NASCAR senior vice president of operations Les Richter and Mike Phelps. The stock car series typically ran four races per year and served as the North American equivalent of an auto racing all-star game, with most of IndyCar's legends from the 1970s and 1980s competing. IROC's last season was in 2006 before it shut down and sold its equipment in 2008.

In 2024, Ray Evernham — who's now the secretary and treasurer of IndyCar's new Independent Officiating Board — brought IROC races back alongside Rob Kauffman, who helped introduce NASCAR's charter system (which is now in IndyCar) in the mid-2010s.

"The Freedom 250 Grand Prix weekend represents a truly unique opportunity for motorsports and our country," Evernham said in a news release. "To see IndyCar and IROC race on such hallowed ground, against the backdrop of some of our nation's most iconic landmarks, will be something truly special for competitors and fans alike. We are honored to have IROC included in the festivities and we look forward to putting on a great show for the fans."

IROC has had three races since its revival, with two more events planned for 2026. Now, it'll join forces with the IndyCar race set in motion by an executive order President Donald Trump signed to race at the nation's capital in January.

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Zion Brown is IndyStar's motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar's Freedom 250 will have star-studded IROC race in Washington, D.C.