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See the full story · 7 sourcesNewly-announced sponsors include Boeing, SpaceX's Starlink and Delta Air Lines
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President Donald Trump’s IndyCar race in Washington, D.C. this weekend is expected to draw powerful CEOs and business executives who will mingle with lawmakers at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
Newly-announced sponsors include Boeing, SpaceX's Starlink and Delta Air Lines. The 250-mile race, managed by Penske, will cap off celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
"I love the race," Trump said when he signed the executive order calling for the race in January.
Trump is scheduled to wave the green flag at the start and take a lap around the circuit in the presidential limousine.
Sources told Rueters that Trump is expected to invite select executives to join him in a private suite while many firms will maintain their own corporate boxes along the route.
The event has dozens of corporate sponsors, allowing executives to mingle with the many administration officials and lawmakers expected to be at the race.
"This is also an opportunity for us to grow our sport and, by showcasing it to these companies that were never part of our sport," Bud Denker, the chair of the race and president of Penske Corp, said at a press conference on Thursday.
During the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on Saturday and Sunday, IndyCar drivers will reach speeds of 170 miles per hour (274 kph) on historic Pennsylvania Avenue, passing the National Archives and traveling through key cultural institutions.
Denker noted that Delta CEO Ed Bastian is attending.
Roster sponsors also include General Motors, Honda, United Airlines, Amazon.com's AWS unit, Shell, Gulfstream, Altria, Verizon and Washington Gas. According to sources, numerous corporate executives and members of Congress plan to attend.
The White House directed questions about Trump's schedule for the weekend to Penske.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said local officials expect 140,000 visitors per day for the race festivities, with a large portion of downtown closed to traffic.
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