INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Aug. 21, 2026) – Reid Wiseman, who served as commander of NASA’s Artemis II mission that captivated the world in April 2026, will ride in the Fastest Seat in Sports at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Aug. 23.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is the first‑ever auto race held on the National Mall and the historic city streets of Washington D.C., celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The landmark weekend offers unprecedented access to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES framed by America’s most iconic symbols of democracy, freedom and unity.
Wiseman, a native of Baltimore, is a 27-year Navy veteran, pilot, father and engineer who was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2009. He and fellow NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen completed a 10-day test flight around the moon and back aboard the Orion spacecraft after lifting off April 1 in the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission that helped pave a path for humanity’s return to the moon fascinated the world, with the crew’s vital work and human camaraderie shown through live video and social media capturing global attention and hearts. An especially poignant moment during the historic flight took place when the crew named a lunar crater after Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, with whom he has two daughters that he now raises as a single father.
Wiseman was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2009 and served as flight engineer aboard the International Space Station from May through December 2014. That flight – Wiseman’s first in space – included more than 300 scientific experiments and Wiseman serving almost 13 hours as lead spacewalker during two trips outside the orbital complex. He also served as chief of the astronaut office from 2020-22.
During his career as a U.S. Navy fighter pilot, Wiseman made two deployments to the Middle East, supporting Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Wiseman has earned numerous awards and honors, including the Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, Air Medal with Combat V (five awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various other campaign and service awards.
The Fastest Seat in Sports is a custom INDYCAR SERIES car with a special back passenger seat that leads the starting field to the green flag at NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, including the seven-turn, 1.7-mile street circuit in the nation’s capital that winds around the National Mall, incorporating some of America’s most historic and iconic landmarks.
Wiseman joins a long list of celebrated INDYCAR Fastest Seat in Sports passengers before fans on site and the FOX national broadcast. This high-speed, high-octane, super-charged thrill ride has been taken by the likes of Tom Brady, Simu Liu, Jon Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Channing Tatum and Rudy Pankow.
Coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. begins at 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 23 on FOX, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is North America’s premier open-wheel racing series with drivers competing at speeds of 200+ mph across a thrilling and demanding set of ovals and road and street circuits. The full schedule is available here.
