President Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C. Trump greets racing officials and drivers on the 1.7-mile street circuit surrounding the National Mall. The high-profile visit comes as the capital hosts its first-ever IndyCar event, where Trump is set to take a lap of honor and wave the green flag.

Monday Morning Pit-Stop is a weekly NASCAR column that runs on OutKick.com and Fox News Digital. If you're looking for a normal NASCAR recap, go check out insufferable ESPN ... assuming they still know NASCAR exists.

Was that the most patriotic weekend of racing ever? It's gotta be up there, right? We haven't felt that since NASCAR ripped the July 4th Daytona race from our hearts and put it in August.

Crooks!

I don't do this — or say this — often, but ... well done, IndyCar. That's right. I'm man enough to admit it. I'm not the biggest IndyCar guy. I'm not shy about that. But fair is fair, and I thought IndyCar absolutely nailed it this weekend in Washington D.C.

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And yes, liberals, that means Donald Trump nailed it, too. You can't really have one without the other. After all, Trump said Roger Penske tried 211 times over the past 20 years to make this event happen.

Odd number, but I believe it! Trump never embellishes!

Yes, we're gonna talk IndyCar and Freedom 250 today. We'll also get to our regular NASCAR programming, even though New Hampshire was ... New Hampshire. I don't expect a ton from Loudon at this point, and I didn't get a ton. It was fine. Ryan Blaney won and Bubba Wallace almost won. That's about it.

President Donald Trump waves the green flag to start the Freedom 250 Grand Prix Race with First Lady Melania Trump at his side on the streets of Washington, D.C., on Aug. 23, 2026. The race covers 147 laps of a 1.7-mile, seven-turn street circuit around the National Mall, passing the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument. (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

We did see one car go spinning during a caution lap, which was funny. We also had some major drama down in the ARCA Series! Yeah, we're talking ARCA today, too. It's been a slow summer for NASCAR. I'm doing my best here, folks.

But hey! It's Daytona week. Finally. Thank goodness.

Four tires, enough fuel to get you down I-95 and to big, beautiful, FREE Florida, and maybe a Kleenex for Adam Schiff after Trump's green flag sent him spiraling ... Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the 'Bald Tires & Bald Eagles' edition' — is LIVE!

By my count, this was the third big race Trump's been to since returning to office. He was at the Daytona 500 last year. He's also been at the Coke 600. Sunday, he waved the green flag at IndyCar's Freedom 250 — an event decades in the making.

"Roger said they've been trying to do it for 20 years," Trump told Fox's Jamie Little. "I think he told me they've been down 211 times. But when he came to see Trump, it got done in about 15 minutes."

Hilarious. No idea if that's true, but it's always funny he goes third person. Catches me off guard every time.

Anyway, Kyle Kirkwood won, which wasn't surprising given he was the second odds-on favorite to do so. Folks quickly fell in love with him because he's just a normal, God-fearin' American, which is becoming increasingly more difficult to find in sports.

Looking at you, WNBA.

Oh yeah! There was also a Bald Eagle, and Trump's favorite toy — The Beast:

"I'm a fellow Florida guy, I live up in Jupiter, so it's cool to see him down here."

Kirkwood could've been talking about Trump. He could've been talking about Tiger Woods. Who knows! Jupiter is quite an area, if you didn't know.

Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the No. 27 Sam's Club Honda, drives during the NTT INDYCAR Series Freedom 250 on Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

Anyway, it was an electric day in D.C. When it comes to these events — Freedom 250, NASCAR's foray into the LA Coliseum a few years back, F1's inaugural race in Miami — it's all about the pageantry. It's an event. It's a spectacle. The racing always takes a backseat. You have to nail the first part.

And they did. Well done.

Everyone, of course, wasn't thrilled ...

"While you struggle with the cost of gas, Trump offers you the spectacle of an IndyCar race hoping you will not notice," Shifty Schiff posted on Elon's X. "More taxpayer money spent on his self-aggrandizing distractions. And you get higher taxes and higher costs."

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Hey, Shifty, cool it. Can we just enjoy some Freedom 250 racing action in peace, pal? It's a Sunday. We don't need to be serious every single day of the week. It's OK to give it a rest on a Sunday.

Again, looking at you, WNBA.

Race winner Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the No. 27 Sam's Club Andretti Global Honda, poses with a bald eagle after the NTT INDYCAR Series on Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. U.S. President Donald Trump established the Freedom 250 Grand Prix weekend as part of the yearlong celebration of America's 250th anniversary. (Getty Images)

PS: Save 50 cents per gallon at 7/11 when you go on the 7th and 11th of each month through October! Great deal, Shifty. Quit whining.

(Not a promotion, but I wouldn't mind if it was).

OK, let's put the pedal to the floor and get to some NASCAR before we finally get to a good track this weekend.

Ryan Blaney won at New Hampshire. Bubba Wallace gave it a go over the last few laps, but he locked the brakes up and lost. Not sure it mattered, but he did get relatively close at one point.

"That lockup killed it," Bubba radioed to his team after his P2. "That's the worst f—king car I've ever driven."

Okeedokee, Bubba! Sounds good. Glad everyone's in a good mood heading to Daytona!

Speaking of Daytona ... let's check in on the points with one race left in the regular season:

Yeah ... look, this is where we're all going to miss the old playoff format. Sorry, but I'll be the one to say it. I'm fine with going back to The Chase format. It was a fine decision. I get it.

But, this race lost a lot of juice because of that decision. The final spot likely comes down to SVG and Ryan Preece. Bubba's all but locked in. Cindrick ain't too far behind. Denny has the regular season championship locked up.

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford, gives a thumbs up to fans after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., on Aug. 23, 2026. (Getty Images)

There's just not a ton of drama heading into what used to be the most pressure-packed race of the season. This is where we miss the playoffs. It's OK to admit it.

Next? Good thing Carson Hocevar is already locked in, because yesterday wasn't his best:

Objectively hilarious move here from Carson. He was a "thumbs up" to start the race even though it was raining, and then he spun out under caution because the track ... was too wet.

Incredible. God, he's the best.

"Look at this guy, look at this idiot," Joey Logano said.

Look at him!

Finally, on the way out, let's do our quarterly check-in on the ARCA Series to see what the youngins are up to:

"F–K HIM!"

"I agree, f–k him."

Alllllllllllll righty then! Seems like things are going well down there. Keep up the good work!

OK, that's it for today. Good work, everyone. Everyone say a prayer for Shifty as he fills up his Subaru later on.

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And, of course, see y'all at Daytona.

Zach Dean is a writer for OutKick. 

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