Track News

Favorites and Sleepers: Washington, D.C.

2 HOURS AGO

Note: INDYCAR.com’s Eric Smith takes a fun look before each NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at drivers entering the weekend with an inside line to Victory Lane and others who could surprise with a strong result.

The highly anticipated Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. marks the third inaugural race of the season and the final new event on this year’s schedule.

Kyle Kirkwood won the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, while Andretti Global teammate Marcus Ericsson won last week’s inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham.

Who comes out on top in Sunday’s 147-lap, 250-mile race (11:30 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls)?

Honda has won all five street races this season and swept the top three finishing positions in each of the last four street events. The only exception was the St. Petersburg season opener, where Alex Palou topped Chevrolet drivers Scott McLaughlin and Christian Lundgaard.

Favorites

Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet)

O’Ward is the only Chevrolet driver to win on a street course since 2023. He won in 2024 at St. Petersburg and 2025 in Toronto. O’Ward also has finished fifth in four of the five street races this season and fourth in Detroit. He has six top-seven finishes in his last seven street starts and has scored the third-most street course points scored this season.

Alex Palou

Alex Palou (No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)

Palou won this year on street courses at St. Petersburg, Long Beach and Detroit, finished second at Arlington and fourth at Markham. He has five street course victories since 2023 and has scored the most street course points in 2026, 64 more than second-place Kyle Kirkwood.

Will Power

Will Power (No. 26 TWG AI Honda)

In his first season with Andretti Global, Power (photo, above and top) finished 22nd at St. Petersburg, third at Arlington, 19th at Long Beach, 22nd in Detroit and third at Markham. He also has finished third in three of the last five races this season.

Kyle Kirkwood

Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda)

Five of Kirkwood’s six career victories have come on street circuits. This season, Kirkwood finished fourth at St. Petersburg and Long Beach, won the inaugural race on the streets of Arlington and finished second in Detroit. He has six top-10 finishes in his last seven races this season.

Marcus Ericsson

Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 Acura Honda)

Four of Ericsson’s five career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories have come on street circuits, at St. Petersburg, Nashville, Belle Isle and Markham. Two of those wins came in inaugural events: Nashville in 2021 and Markham last Sunday. The 2022 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner earned his first career NTT P1 Award in this year’s inaugural race at Arlington. He finished fourth in that race. He also started second and finished sixth at St. Petersburg and started 10th and finished eighth in Detroit. He has scored the fourth-most street course points this season.

Sleepers

Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet)

McLaughlin owns three top-eight finishes in the five street races this season and five top-eight finishes in the last six races overall. He has scored the sixth-most street course points in 2026. He makes his 100th career series start Sunday.

Christian Lundgaard

Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet)

Lundgaard has scored the fifth-most street course points this season, with finishes of third at St. Petersburg, seventh at Arlington, 20th at Long Beach, fifth in Detroit and sixth at Markham.

Graham Rahal

Graham Rahal (No. 15 Gaylor Honda)

Rahal has quietly put together an effective street course season with three consecutive top-10 finishes, including third in Detroit and ninth at Markham. He has scored the eighth-most street course points this year.

Romain Grosjean