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IndyCar removes Freedom 250 T-shirt from online store in wake of backlash

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A rendering of part of the Freedom 250 course shows an IndyCar racing in front of a fence with the U.S. Capitol in the background.

A rendering of part of the Freedom 250 course situated in front of the U.S. Capitol. Courtesy of IndyCar

IndyCar removed a Freedom 250 Grand Prix T-shirt from the shopping section of its official website Wednesday in the wake of criticism that the product’s messaging was tone deaf and open to a racist interpretation.

The shirt, touting the IndyCar race around the National Mall later this summer, depicts the Lincoln Memorial and portrays the seated President Abraham Lincoln wearing a racing helmet with lettering above the image that says “One Nation” and lettering below that says “One Race”.

“IndyCar selling a ‘One Nation, One Race’ t-shirt for the Freedom 250 is incredibly insensitive and inflammatory. This is something that should never have been approved,” Ryan Erik King, a staff writer at Jalopnik.com, a platform that covers the automotive industry and motor racing, wrote on X.

In an email to The Athletic, IndyCar said: “A shirt was removed from IndyCar’s online store following feedback from customers. We understand that some individuals found its phrasing concerning and therefore have remedied the situation.” The email said the T-shirt debuted Wednesday and “was removed within a few hours.”

The product description on the IndyCar website said the shirt was officially licensed and called it a “fun graphic tee.” The item was priced at $50.

The Freedom 250 will see open-wheel cars race around the National Mall on a 1.7-mile course that passes directly in front of the National Archives and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. The race, part of America’s official 250th birthday celebrations, is set for Aug. 23.

The grand prix event was announced Jan. 30 after President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing the race.

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The best sports month is almost here, plus a most unexpected MNF result

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The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.

Good morning! It’s a beautiful day. I’ll explain. Coming up: 

🤨 Keenum, Bears roll
👏 MLB playoffs, yes
🤝 NHL season, also yes

Today begins a nexus event that has become my favorite part of the sports calendar in the five years I’ve written this newsletter. There is no other time you can find as many major sports happening at once, all in different but fascinating places in their respective seasons. More on that idea later. 
To start…

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Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly miss out on latest Lionesses squad

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Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone and Arsenal forward Chloe Kelly have not been selected for England’s World Cup qualifying matches next month.

Toone, 27, misses out after an inconsistent start to the season, while 28-year-old Kelly has also been omitted.

In addition, Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones and Arsenal duo Lotte Wubben-Moy and Taylor Hinds have not made the 23-player squad.

Captain Leah Williamson returns having missed June’s 4-0 defeat by Spain and 3-0 win over Ukraine.

There is a first senior call-up for Chelsea midfielder Lexi Potter, 20, who has impressed alongside England’s Keira Walsh in the Women’s Super League.

She has started three of Chelsea’s opening four matches and was a standout performer in their 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday.

There is also a return to the squad for uncapped midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson, 18, who has excelled since joining North Carolina Courage in the summer.

Manchester City full-back Niamh Charles made her return from injury as a substitute in their 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday and is included.

London City Lionesses forward Freya Godfrey and Liverpool defender Grace Fisk are the other two uncapped players named.

England play a double-header against Greece, first in Crete on Friday, 9 October (17:30 BST) and then in Leicester on Tuesday, 13 October (19:30 BST).

If they win the two-legged tie, they progress to round two of the play-offs where they can compete for a place in next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

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Ferrari back Frederic Vasseur as F1 team principal

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Ferrari entered the 2026 season hoping their preparations for widespread rule changes covering cars and engines would give them a chance to become championship contenders.

But, although their chassis started the season regarded as the best in F1, their engine has fallen short of the performance set by Mercedes and Red Bull.

Ferrari are second in the constructors’ championship after 15 of a scheduled 23 races, but a massive 160 points behind leaders Mercedes and more concerned about fending off a challenge from McLaren, who are 72 points adrift in third place.

On Saturday after the race Lewis Hamilton was asked whether he was still confident Ferrari were heading in the right direction under Vasseur. He replied: “Yes.”

Vasseur said after the race in Baku in reference to speculation about his future: “We are not working in the perfect serenity. For me, first, but for everybody in the team, for the media, for 50% of the questions [to be] about this, it’s a bit of a frustrating situation.

“We are fighting for P2 in the championship, and at the end of the day we are all speaking a lot about this, and even for the guys in the garage, to discuss about this, it’s the best discussion that we can have.

“But it is what it is – it’s not in my hands. Mr Horner is looking for a job – that everybody knows – everywhere.

“But what can I do? Just try to do my best to push the team, to rise them to be motivated.”

Vasseur signed a new contract with Ferrari in July last year. Ferrari did not say how long it lasted beyond describing it as “a multi-year contract for the coming Formula 1 seasons”.

Vasseur joined Ferrari at the start of 2023 after former team principal Mattia Binotto was removed following a bright start to the previous regulation set in 2022 was followed by a slump marked by poor reliability and questionable operational decisions.

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