Of All the Freedom 250 Celebrations So Far, the Grand Prix Through DC Might Have Been the Most Spectacular

Kenneth Weisenberger. Shutterstock Images.

A while back there was something big going on in England. It was some Royal wedding or funeral or coronation. Who knows? Those fairy tale princesses are always up to something they want to congratulate themselves for. But I heard some Brit say that, for all their country's problems, no one puts on a celebration like they do. 

And yes, you've got to hand it to them. Their empire might have peaked around 1922 (or as British historian Dan Snow has suggested, when the invention of the locomotive made it possible to move people and goods across continents, making the Royal Navy less relevant), but they do know how to pull off pomp and circumstance to beat the band. 

But for them to claim "No one does it like us" is to ignore the parties being thrown all year by our little nation of ungrateful tax dodgers over here. Going back to the US Army's birthday in June of 2025, it's been the 250th anniversary of pretty much everything that made these United States of America the beacon of hope to the world. And we've been letting the UK and everyone else know about it in grand fashion. From the fights Robbie Fox wrote about:

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To the 4th of July fireworks. Which set so many records, they were the back of Barry Bonds' baseball card of pyrotechnics:

And yet, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix just held might have been bigger and more spectacular than all of the others. It was 25 drivers. On a counterclockwise track with seven turns. 147 laps totaling 250 miles, in honor of the occasion. With both pomp and circumstance that should make any self-respecting, self-satisfied Brit want to declare his independence from the crown. 

Just look at some of the events surrounding the race. Beginning with the set up, where all the branches of our military worked on a coordinated effort to deliver the pace car:

To the pre-race:

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To the little touches:

For sure, it featured the most impressive display of air power any ceremonial flyover ever has:

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Including a feathered one:

And of course, the final aircraft perfectly timed to the finale of the National Anthem:

And it began with a lap by the only car in the world with more style and capabilities than the Batmobile:

Won, appropriately enough, by a driver who sounds like the result of an AI search for the perfect name for an All-American winning machine who gets up in the morning and pisses excellence:

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The Grand Prix was just the latest in a long series of Grand Slams by the people in charge of celebrating America's 250th. Whatever else we might think of the nation's leadership (and we think lots and lots of thoughts; it's why we had a revolution to begin with) there's no denying they're pulling these events off with a degree of flair and patriotism that is unprecedented. 

Let this be a lesson for all Americans to appreciate how good we have it. And a warning to all our adversaries. This is what our military and our officials are capable of pulling off, just for fun on a weekend in August. Imagine what they can do when it actually counts for something. And remember it's not in your best interests to piss us off.