Bald Eagles Or Horses? IndyCar Drivers Pitch Freedom 250 Prizes

With Sunday’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix roaring through Washington, D.C., all eyes are on the victory circle. 

Winning in the nation’s capital is a monumental moment for any driver, but doing so during the United States’ 250th anniversary elevates the stakes. It has sparked endless creativity around what prize the winning driver will take home.

IndyCar drivers Josef Newgarden and Kyle Kirkwood appeared on First Things First on Monday afternoon with Danny Parkins and Greg Jennings to discuss Sunday’s race. However, the conversation took a turn when the group tried to figure out what the prize should be.

Parkins made his pitch to the IndyCar drivers, jokingly suggesting that the winner should receive a bald eagle.

“It should be something very American,” Newgarden said in response. “Maybe there’s a bald eagle statue or something that you receive. I don’t know…I was thinking like you should get a horse or something just like a famous American horse like ‘great job, you won the race.’”

Sunday’s race carries far more weight than a typical IndyCar weekend. For American drivers like Newgarden and Kirkwood, there’s extra motivation in racing past historic landmarks like the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. 

Newgarden is focused on honoring his country, well aware that a race of this magnitude is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

“Oh, totally,” Newgarden responded when asked if there’s extra motivation. “I don’t think this will happen again. When are we going to be allowed to drive Indy cars in our nation’s capital again? It’s going to be an unbelievable opportunity.”

Kirkwood felt much the same way about what was driving him this weekend. For him, it isn’t just about winning a race, but it’s more about making sure an American driver comes out on top on such a historic stage for the country’s 250th anniversary.

“As a fellow American, I think for America’s 250, we want to see one of us win,” Kirkwood said. “There’s a few other Americans in the series, but we’re a diverse group right? We want to see an American win on the 250, so that’s a big deal for us too.”

While the winner might not walk away with a bald eagle, the stakes are plenty high when Sunday’s race kicks off. All eyes will be on Newgarden and Kirkwood to see if either can come away with a win.