Detroit executive Bud Denker might look like he’s lost while walking, and rewalking, a 1.7-mile race circuit circling our nation’s capital with a blueprint in hand for the Freedom 250 Washington Grand Prix being held Aug 22-23.
It’s part of his job as he looks for any issues, or things that might need addressing before the big event. It will be the first motor race ever in Washington, DC, and the first race since 1801, when then-President Thomas Jefferson celebrated the 25th anniversary of our country with a horse race around the Capitol.
The attention to details of this new Indy race — held to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country — is complicated.
From making sure the historic buildings, such as the National Art Gallery or Air Space Museum and others along the route, are preserved and not impacted by racing cars, to making sure people are safe, Denker, president of Penske Corp., has been focused on it since last summer.
Having race cars zooming by at speeds up to 190 mph on Pennsylvania Avenue is more complex than a horse galloping by, Roger Penske, founder and chairman of Penske Corp. and ringleader of the upcoming Indy car race, told me.
“This time, the race won’t be about horses; it will be about horsepower,” Penske said.
Denker, right-hand man to Penske, is overseeing details and practically living in DC (he now has an apartment there) as he meets with Secret Service, the Washington Mayor’s Office, marketing people, Fox Sports executives (who will broadcast the race) and others.
It’s déjà vu for Denker, who went through a similar version of the process when Penske brought the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear off Belle Isle and returned it to the streets of the Motor City three years ago.
Denker, chairman of the Detroit Grand Prix and Freedom 250 Washington Grand Prix, works closely with Michael Montri, president of the Detroit Grand Prix and Freedom 250 Washington Grand Prix. After Montri oversees things in Detroit with that race, which will be held May 26-28, he will head off to DC to help Denker.
Penske’s multibillion-dollar empire, run from suburban Detroit, owns hundreds of auto dealerships and is involved with logistics and entertainment. Make no mistake, it is motor racing that sets it apart.
Penske, known as “the Captain,” is celebrating his 60th year of racing in 2026, having started as a professional race car driver before giving it up to take over a Chevy dealership. His business empire grew as he looked to sponsoring racing to help market his enterprise.
It was attending the Indianapolis 500 as a teen with his father that inspired Penske’s love of the sport. The Penske team is racing in this year’s Indy 500 on May 24 and it will participate in the Detroit and Washington races, too.
Tapping talented poster, mural makers
The impact of Penske’s events goes well beyond dollars and cents, which was on display March 31 at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit. Five students from the college submitted posters they created to promote the Detroit race and were invited to show their work to a panel of nine judges, which included Denker, Montri and yours truly. The initiative is a joint program between Penske and CCS which began 14 years ago and brings about the official poster, which is done by a student.
The winning poster is now being sold.
Reden Lee, a CCS Illustration major from South Korea, who had never attended the race, made her observations about how she created her poster by watching videos and television coverage of the race and the diverse audience of fans who attend. She’s invited as a guest for next week’s race.
Additionally, student-designed murals from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit also will be displayed on trackside barrier walls on the race circuit.
I posed a few questions to Denker. His answers are edited for length.
QUESTION: How are preparations going for the Washington race?
ANSWER: We’re less than 100 days away and we’re in great shape. Tickets will be available starting in early June and people must register online to get them. We’re giving away 65,000 tickets inside and 65,000 tickets outside of the track on Saturday and Sunday, or 130,000 total for each day.
Q: What about corporate suite sales?
A: We’re working with Monumental, a marketing company that knows everyone. They are selling our 78 suites. They are priced up (to) $250,000 and we only have seven left. Companies like General Dynamic, Boeing, GM and Honda will be there.
Q: Tell me about the economic impact of the Detroit race.
A: An economic study was conducted for the Detroit Grand Prix race two years ago, which said it produced over $100 million in economic benefit to the city and region by having the race downtown. We are only one of five cities in America to host an urban race.
Q: Right now, the Detroit circuit runs alongside the RenCen. Depending on what happens there and the effort to transform it, that route may need to be adjusted. You started working on it?
A: We think we have a potential plan but we expect the race to run its current circuit through the 2028 event.
Q: Could it return to Belle Isle for a time?
A: No chance. We do have an idea in mind but I can’t tell you — yet!
Q: With much going on, you have time for things like golf?
A: The racetrack is my golf game at the moment .We are involved in 60 races across the globe. I won’t have time to take in any golf until after Washington.
Contact Carol Cain at clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of “Michigan Matters,” which airs 5:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS Detroit and 9:30 a.m. Sundays on CW Detroit 50. See Bob Riney, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Bedrock CEO Jared Fleisher and BAMF Health CEO Dr. Anthony Chang on this week’s show. You can also watch the show on the two stations’ listings on Fubu, Pluto TV, YouTube TV and Apple TV.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bud Denker gears up for another Grand Prix and it’s not in Michigan
Reporting by Carol Cain, Detroit Free Press Business Columnist / Detroit Free Press
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