The new season of USF Pro 2000 begins this weekend on the new Arlington street circuit in Texas. With several of last year’s top drivers having been promoted to Indy NXT, new challengers are coming in from USF2000 alongside returning favourites from 2025. Feeder Series tells you all you need to know about USF Pro 2000 in 2026.
By Vincent van der Hoek
USF Pro 2000 is the final step of the USF Pro Championships ladder after USF Juniors and USF2000, and it can be the ultimate launching pad into Indy NXT and IndyCar. Since 2018, champions have included current IndyCar drivers Rinus Veekay, Kyle Kirkwood, Sting Ray Robb, Christian Rasmussen and Louis Foster.
Last year, Max Garcia enjoyed a dominant run in the second half of the season, winning seven of the nine final races and eventually clinching the championship by 148 points. The 16-year-old now drives for Abel Motorsports in Indy NXT.
The calendar
Just like the other USF Pro Championships series, USF Pro 2000 largely runs alongside the IndyCar Series. The exceptions are the rounds at Indianapolis Raceway Park and the final round of the season at Road America, which will be run with other USF series.
The series starts with a new event on the calendar at a newly constructed street circuit in Arlington, Texas. This 2.73 mile track runs along the stadiums of the Dallas Cowboys, who play in the National Football League, and the Texas Rangers, who play in Major League Baseball. Both are among the best-known franchises in their respective leagues.
NOLA Motorsports Park has left the calendar this season and has been replaced by a second weekend at Road America. The race in Toronto has moved from to a newly designed street course in Markham, Ontario, within the Greater Toronto Area.
- Round 1: Streets of Arlington (13–15 March)
- Round 2: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (7–9 May)
- Round 3: Indianapolis Raceway Park (21–22 May)
- Round 4: Road America (18–21 June)
- Round 5: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2–5 July)
- Round 6: Portland International Raceway (6–9 August)
- Round 7: Streets of Markham, Ontario, Canada (14–16 August)
- Round 8: Milwaukee Mile (29–30 August)
- Round 9: Road America (24–26 September)
The format
Just like in USF2000, each race weekend usually consists of one or two practice sessions, a qualifying session, and two or three races. The exceptions are the rounds on ovals at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Milwaukee, which consist of one race each.
Qualifying sets the grid for the first race of each weekend. For two- or three-race rounds with one qualifying session, the remaining races’ grids are usually set by each driver’s second-fastest qualifying lap or fastest lap in the previous race, whichever is faster. For three-race rounds with two qualifying sessions, the first and second qualifying sessions set the grid for races one and two respectively, with race three’s times taking the better of each driver’s second-fastest lap in qualifying two or their best lap in race two. One point is awarded to the driver in pole position.
On road courses, the qualifying format is the same as the other USF series, in which all drivers go out on track for a 20-minute qualifying session in a 30-minute time window. The format on ovals is similar to most other open-wheel series, with drivers going out one by one on an empty track for one warm-up lap and two green-flag laps. The driver who sets the fastest average speed across both green-flag laps wins pole position.
On most weekends, the points system is similar to that of the IndyCar Series. Points are awarded for every position in the race, starting with 30 points for a race win, 25 points for second place, 22 points for third place, 19 points for fourth place, 17 points for fifth place and 15 points for sixth place. From there on down, points decrease by increments of one. Drivers placed 20th and lower score only one point.
The exceptions are the single oval races at IRP and Milwaukee, where points are all 1.5 times the value of the regular points scored on a road or street course, rounded up to the nearest integer for any half points. This means that the winner scores 45 points, second place 38 points, and third place 33 points, and so forth until 20th place or lower, for which drivers score two points.
In all races, two bonus points are on offer – one for setting the fastest lap in each race and one for leading the most laps in a race.
Just like the other USF Series, USF Pro 2000 also has a teams’ championship. The top two finishers from each team score points for the teams’ championship. The race winner earns 22 points, second-best finisher earns 18-points, third-best finisher 15 points and fourth-best finisher 12 points. From there points go down by two for each position, with eligible drivers 10th and below earning one point for their teams. Single-car entries receive t three bonus points to lessen any potential disadvantage. The points multiplier present in the drivers’ standings does not carry over to the teams’.
Where to watch
All sessions are broadcast live on the USF Pro Championships YouTube page and the USF Pro Championships app. Live timing of the race will be available on the USF Pro 2000 website and the app.
Teams and drivers
Two teams from last season are uncertain to return. DEForce Racing competed in USF Pro 2000 last season but have no cars lined up this season, though they are competing in USF2000. FatBoy Racing, the one-car outfit run by and for 1963-born Charles Finelli, is also not on the grid. The team did not enter any rounds after the Road America event in June, but there’s no telling when he decides to have another go.
Pabst Racing
Pabst Racing, the team founded by Augie Pabst Jr in 1983, won the 2025 USF Pro 2000 teams’ championship. The team won 10 out of 18 races last year, with Garcia getting nine of those wins.
George Argyros III, better known as G3 Argyros (#18), joins Pabst Racing for his first year in the series. The California native competed in USF2000 last year and finished fourth in the championship, scoring four podiums. In 2024, Argyros competed in USF Juniors, finishing seventh in the standings.
The 10th win Pabst took last year was courtesy of Jacob Douglas (#19), who returns to Pabst Racing for a second year in USF Pro 2000. The 20-year-old New Zealander finished fifth in the standings for the team in his rookie year, winning race two at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and scoring a further seven podiums.
Turn 3 Motorsports
Turn 3 Motorsports was founded by Irish racing driver Peter Dempsey, whom longtime followers of the Road to Indy may remember as the winner of Indy Lights’ 2013 Freedom 100 in a spectacular four-wide finish. The team is co-owned by his wife Mandy Dempsey.
In 2025, the team employed eight different drivers over the course of the season, of whom three completed the full season. Their leading driver was Alessandro de Tullio, who finished fourth in the drivers’ standings with four wins and seven podiums in total. The 19-year-old was promoted to Indy NXT with AJ Foyt Racing for 2026.
Michael Costello (#2) joins Turn 3 after having raced in USF Pro 2000 with Pabst Racing in 2025. The Pennsylvania native finished seventh in the drivers’ standings last year, scoring two third-place finishes in race two in St Petersburg and race three on the IMS road course.
Tyke Durst (#3) stays with the team for a third consecutive season in the series. Last year, the 22-year-old finished 13th in the championship, scoring five top-10 finishes across the season. In 2024, Durst finished 17th in the standings.
Sebastian Manson (#22) likewise stays in USF Pro 2000 for a second season, though he is switching teams. The 18-year-old made the transition from Oceania, where he was a champion in the Formula Ford scene, to American motorsport last year, finishing 12th in the drivers’ standings with TJ Speed Motorsports. The New Zealander has also raced in Asia, coming home the runner-up in the 2024 Formula Regional Japanese Championship, and most recently completed his second full season in FR Oceania finishing 17th.
Brady Golan (#44) enters his first full season of USF Pro 2000 in 2026 after having completed a partial season last year. The Texan, 18, also raced in a full FR Americas season and finished fifth in the championship with two race wins. Golan competed in the USF2000 season opener at St Petersburg.
Leonardo Escorpioni (#4), the reigning USF Juniors champion, is expected to join USF Pro 2000 on one or two occasions. The 16-year-old Brazilian currently races in USF2000 with Zanella Racing, and he most recently finished third in both races of the USF2000 season opener in St Petersburg.
TJ Speed Motorsports
TJ Speed Motorsports made their debut in all USF Pro Championships in 2023, having come over from FR Americas. The team is owned by longtime engineer Tim Neff, who also works with partner team HMD Motorsports as an engineer in Indy NXT. Last season, TJ Speed finished third in the teams’ standings thanks in large part to championship runner-up Ariel Elkin, who won three races and scored a further three podiums. Manson, who also drove for the team last year, moved to Turn 3 Motorsports.
Thomas Schrage (#26) will make his USF Pro 2000 debut in 2026 with TJ Speed. Prior to the 2025 season, the 21-year-old underwent shoulder surgery, which made the start of his USF2000 campaign tricky. Despite the setback, Schrage was in the mix for the title but eventually finished third, just one point off second place, with three wins and a further eight podiums.
Another driver who will be making his USF Pro 2000 debut is Christian Cameron (#27). The 16-year-old steps up from USF2000, in which he finished 11th in the standings last year. Throughout winter testing Cameron has been one of the most impressive drivers, having topped several sessions during the Homestead Spring Training test last month.
Leandro Juncos (#28) returns to American motorsport after doing a full season of GB4 last year, when he finished fifth in the championship and won one race. Prior to his excursion into GB4, the Argentine-American driver competed in 10 USF Juniors races in 2024. Juncos is the son of Ricardo Juncos the owner and founder of Juncos Hollinger Racing, and has served as a race strategist at his father’s team. The 20-year-old also entered one race in Argentina’s TC2000 touring car category last year.
Exclusive Autosport
Exclusive Autosport are active at all levels of the USF Pro Championships package. At the USF Pro 2000 level, Mac Clark was their best driver last season, finishing third in the drivers’ standings. While the Canadian didn’t win any races, he did finish on the podium 11 times.
Jack Jeffers (#92) moves up to the final step of the USF Pro Championships ladder after winning USF2000 last year. The 19-year-old won six races along with a further seven podiums en route to the title. Prior to his 2025 USF2000 title, Jeffers won the 2024 YACademy Winter Series and the 2022 Formula Race Car Series.
Joey Brienza II (#91) will stay with Exclusive Autosport for a second season in USF Pro 2000. The 21-year-old finished 11th in the championship last year, scoring nine top-10 finishes with a season-best sixth place in race one at Road America. Brienza has been racing for the team since 2021, when he competed in the F1600 Championship series.
Evan Cooley (#90) and Anthony Martella (#93), who currently drive for Exclusive Autosport in their respective second USF2000 seasons, are scheduled to join USF Pro 2000 for one or two events during the season. Only two events do not clash with the USF2000 calendar – Arlington this weekend and Milwaukee in August – and both drivers are confirmed to be racing in the former.
At the eleventh hour, Exclusive announced that Mac Clark (#95) would join the team for his second season with the team and his third in USF Pro 2000. The Canadian driver was third in the standings last year while finishing on the podium 11 times. The 21-year-old made his series debut in 2023 with DEForce Racing, finishing 11th in the standings with the team in his first full USF Pro 2000 campaign – minus the final round – in 2024.
VRD Racing
VRD Racing were founded in 2019 by British engineer Dan Mitchell. The team compete at all levels of the USF Pro Championship ladder as well as in GB3. Last year, Max Taylor was their best driver, finishing sixth in the championship and scoring a race win in race three at Road America.
VRD have promoted Teddy Musella (#25) to USF Pro 2000 after he finished second in the 2025 USF2000 championship with the team. The 16-year-old from Florida won two races and stood on the podium seven further times. Prior to his USF2000 campaign, Musella won the 2024 Ligier JS F4 Series crown.
Frankie Mossman (#77) returns to VRD Racing in USF Pro 2000 after having completed a partial season for the team in 2025. While he competed in 17 out of 18 USF Pro 2000 races in 2025, he started the season with Jay Howard Driver Development for the first two rounds before switching teams. The 19-year-old finished eighth in the championship, taking podiums in Toronto and Portland.
Colin Aitken (#11) currently races for VRD Racing in USF2000, but he will join selected USF Pro 2000 events over the course of the season. In the off-season Aitken competed in the YACademy Winter Series, and most recently on the streets of St Petersburg, the 18-year-old finished ninth in race one and 12th in race two.
Jay Howard Driver Development Powered by ECR
Jay Howard Driver Development made their USF Pro 2000 debut in 2021. As with the other JHDD squads in the IndyCar ladder system, Ed Carpenter Racing is now providing technical support for the team founded by former IndyCar driver Jay Howard. Last season, JHDD took part in a limited number of events, employing four drivers over the course of the season: Mossman, Tanner DeFabis, Liam McNeilly and Nick Gilkes.
Tanner DeFabis (#5) returns to the team after participating in six races last year. His best finish was seventh place in race two in St Petersburg. The 20-year-old from Indiana has been supported by JHDD since as early as 2021, back in his karting days. DeFabis previously won USF2000’s sole oval race of 2024 at IRP while competing in a partial season with the team.
Andrés Cárdenas (#6) joins Jay Howard Driver Development as he transitions from European motorsport to the IndyCar ladder. In 2025, the 17-year-old Peruvian competed in Eurocup-3 as well as its winter series, finishing seventh and fourth respectively while winning one race in each series. In 2024, Cárdenas raced in the Spanish F4 championship and the Formula Winter Series in Spain.
JT Hoskins (#7) will enter his first year in the series. The 17-year-old competed in USF Juniors for JHDD in 2025, finishing 11th in the championship. Hoskins’s best finish of the season was fourth place in race two at Road America. He is the only driver in the field who has been announced for two years in the series in what is a rare deal in junior single-seater racing.
Comet/NCMP Racing
The newest and smallest team on the grid is back in 2026. The family-run Comet/NCMP Racing outfit with driver Logan Adams (#21) at the wheel competed in 15 out of the 18 races last year, scoring four top-10 finishes. Adams, the son of New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP) owner Mike Adams, is yet to complete a full season in a USF Pro Championships series, having skipped IRP and Portland in each of the last two seasons.
The grid at a glance
| Team | # | Driver |
| Turn 3 Motorsport | 2 | Michael Costello |
| 3 | Tyke Durst | |
| 4 | Leonardo Escorpioni (R) | |
| 22 | Sebastian Manson | |
| 44 | Brady Golan | |
| Jay Howard Driver Development Powered By ECR | 5 | Tanner DeFabis |
| 6 | Andrés Cárdenas (R) | |
| 7 | JT Hoskins (R) | |
| VRD Racing | 11 | Colin Aitken (R) |
| 25 | Teddy Musella (R) | |
| 77 | Frankie Mossman | |
| Pabst Racing | 18 | G3 Argyros (R) |
| 19 | Jacob Douglas | |
| Comet/NCMP | 21 | Logan Adams |
| TJ Speed Motorsports | 26 | Thomas Schrage (R) |
| 27 | Christian Cameron (R) | |
| 28 | Leandro Juncos (R) | |
| Exclusive Autosport | 90 | Evan Cooley (R) |
| 91 | Joey Brienza | |
| 92 | Jack Jeffers (R) | |
| 93 | Anthony Martella (R) | |
| 95 | Mac Clark |
Header photo credit: Gavin Baker Photography
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