Zak Brown: Washington, D.C. race “massive” for IndyCar commercially

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown believes that even if the Freedom 250 Grand Prix is a one-off, the event in Washington, D.C. can deliver lasting commercial benefits for IndyCar.

During the opening practice session on the 1.7-mile, 7-turn temporary street course that wraps around the National Mall, with the Capitol providing the backdrop, Brown shared  his thoughts with FOX Sports.

“This is, I mean, it's a massive event for IndyCar commercially,” Brown said. “We're awesome. We've got great fans that always love our racing, but I think this is going to bring a lot of awareness to IndyCar for new fans.

“And I think when they tune in, they're going to love it. The amount of executives we have here is phenomenal, so I'm already hoping there's a year two, but I guess let's get through year one first.”

Streets are closed ⛔️

D.C. is now a racetrack! 🟢 pic.twitter.com/8ktECz5e1D

Although Brown’s Formula 1 team is competing at Zandvoort in the Netherlands this weekend, he traveled to Washington for the 15th round of the IndyCar season with Arrow McLaren.

Brown has long argued that IndyCar should be more aggressive by expanding into major media markets, shifting away from smaller traditional venues, and turning race weekends into unmissable showcase events. He has specifically pointed to big-market opportunities like the Northeast, noting improvements with major venue concepts like the Arlington, Texas race earlier this year around the Dallas Cowboys stadium.

Brown also explained how he believes the event could benefit Arrow McLaren beyond this weekend.

“I think we're going to build a bigger fan base coming off for this event, and when you have a bigger fan base, because the sport's all about fans, you'll end up attracting more sponsor partners,” Brown said. “So I think this is going to be a really healthy — grow our fan base, grow our sponsorship base. The amount of people we have out is fantastic.

“The track looks amazing. I've been fortunate to travel around the world, and I can't think of a cooler setting when you're looking at the Capitol in the background.”

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