USF Juniors

Last updated
USF Juniors
2024 USF Juniors Logo.png
Category Single seaters
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Inaugural season2022
Drivers17
Teams7
Constructors Tatuus
Engine suppliers Mazda
Tyre suppliers Continental
Drivers' champion Flag of the United States.svg Max Taylor
Teams' champion Flag of the United States.svg VRD Racing
Official website usfjuniors.com
Motorsport current event.svg Current season

The USF Juniors championship, also known as USF Juniors presented by Continental Tire for sponsorship reasons, is an American auto racing series running with USF2000 cars (as of 2023). The series was inaugurated in 2022 as a new first rung of the Road to Indy, below the USF2000 Championship. The series is owned by Andersen Promotions and sanctioned by USAC. [1]

Contents

History

The USF Juniors championship was formally announced in September 2021. Series founder Dan Andersen cited the need for an additional step up above karting luxe to the increasingly competitive nature of the USF2000 Championship. He further established the want to provide "a true entry level series that is professionally managed where drivers, teams and parents can focus on training and racing via shorter, more economical events, while also lowering the spotlight on young drivers that often occurs on IndyCar race weekends." [2] The series was also made as a direct competitor to the Formula 4 United States Championship. [3] To allow champions of the series to progress in their careers, winners will receive a scholarship valued at $200,000.

Logo used in 2022. USFJuniorsLogo.png
Logo used in 2022.
Series logo used in 2023. UpdatedUSFJuniorsLogo, 2023.png
Series logo used in 2023.

For the series' inaugural season, a six-event scheduled was planned featuring all road courses. USAC, which already handled duties for the USF2000 Championship and USF Pro 2000 Championship, was named the sanctioning body for the series. Former driver Gustavo Yacamán was hired as the series manager, while another two former drivers, Joel Miller and Johnny Unser, were hired as race stewards. [2]

Cars

For the series' inaugural season, competitors used a Ligier JS F4 chassis with a 160 hp 2.0 Liter engine made by Honda Performance Development (HPD). [4] As with all other series in the Road to Indy ladder, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, through their Cooper brand, was the tire supplier for the series for the first two years. For the 2023 season, USF Juniors began using the Tatuus JR-23 chassis, which can be upgraded for use in both USF2000 and USF Pro 2000 as drivers and teams progress through the Road to Indy ladder. The new car also uses the same MZR engine used in the Road to Indy series. [5] From 2024, Continental provides the tires along with the title partnership of the series. [6]

Circuits

Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
VIR
Red indicates current tracks. White indicates former tracks.
CourseYears
Barber Motorsports Park 2022present
Circuit of the Americas 20222023
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2022present
NOLA Motorsports Park 2024
Ozarks International Raceway 2022
Portland International Raceway 2024
Road America 2022present
Sebring International Raceway 2023
Virginia International Raceway 2022present

Champions

SeasonDrivers ChampionTeams Champion
2022 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mac Clark Flag of the United States.svg VRD Racing
2023 Flag of Brazil.svg Nicolas Giaffone Flag of the United States.svg DEForce Racing

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Formula racing</span> Open-wheeled single-seater motorsport

Formula racing is any of several forms of open-wheeled single-seater motorsport. The origin of the term lies in the nomenclature that was adopted by the FIA for all of its post-World War II single-seater regulations, or formulae. The best known of these formulae are Formula One, Formula E, Formula Two, Formula Three, regional Formula Three and Formula Four. Common usage of "formula racing" encompasses other single-seater series, including the IndyCar Series and the Super Formula Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indy NXT</span> American automobile racing series

Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as INDY NXT by Firestone for sponsorship reasons. Indy NXT is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program of racing series leading up to the IndyCar Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USF Pro 2000 Championship</span> American automobile racing series

The USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, formerly known as the Star Mazda Championship, Pro Mazda Championship, and later Indy Pro 2000 Championship, is an open-wheel racing series serving as the third step on the Road to Indy ladder system, between the USF2000 Championship and Indy NXT. The series is sanctioned by the United States Auto Club and operated by Andersen Promotions. The series' champion is awarded a scholarship package to advance to Indy NXT competition for the following season. It competes on all open-wheel disciplines: road courses, street courses, and ovals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USF2000 Championship</span> American racing series

The USF2000 Championship Presented by Continental Tire is an American racing series using an American variation of the Formula Ford standard, "F2000", that resumed operation for the 2010 season. As of 2022, it is sanctioned by the United States Auto Club, and operated by Andersen Promotions. It is the second rung of the Road to Indy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USF Pro Championships</span> Racing driver development program

The USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire, formerly known as the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, is a racecar driver development program, providing a scholarship-funded path to reach the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500. Sanctioned by the United States Auto Club (USAC), the series are owned and managed by Andersen Promotions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Formula 4</span> Open-wheel racing car category intended for junior drivers

FIA Formula 4, also called FIA F4, is an open-wheel racing car category intended for junior drivers. There is no global championship, but rather individual nations or regions can host their own championships in compliance with a universal set of rules and specifications.

The 2017 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda will be the eighth season – since its revival in 2010 – of the U.S. F2000 National Championship, an open wheel auto racing series that is the first step in INDYCAR's Road to Indy ladder, operated by Andersen Promotions. A 14-race schedule was announced on September 14, 2016.

The 2018 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda was the ninth season – since its revival in 2010 – of the U.S. F2000 National Championship, an open wheel auto racing series that is the first step in INDYCAR's Road to Indy ladder, operated by Andersen Promotions. A 14-race schedule was announced on October 17, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatuus F4-T014</span>

The Tatuus F4-T014 is a junior formula racing car introduced in 2014 by Italian manufacturer Tatuus. The basic chassis is also used in the Tatuus MSV F4-016, Tatuus USF-17 and the Tatuus PM-18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Formula Regional Americas Championship</span> Single-Seater Racing Championship

The Formula Regional Americas Championship powered by Honda is an FIA Formula Regional racing series that competes in the United States, with plans in the future to race in Canada and Mexico. The championship is sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, the professional racing division of the Sports Car Club of America, in conjunction with the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States, the United States representative to the FIA. Starting in 2020 the champion will win a scholarship to compete in Indy Lights. The F3 Americas Championship updated its name to Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda in 2020.

The 2021 USF2000 Championship was the twelfth season of the USF2000 Championship since its revival in 2010. The championship serves as the first rung of the IndyCar Series's Road to Indy ladder system. An 18 race schedule was announced on October 21, 2020, featuring five permanent road courses, two street circuits, and a single oval in the Dave Steele Classic.

The 2022 USF2000 Championship was the thirteenth season of the USF2000 Championship since its revival in 2010. The championship serves as the first rung of the IndyCar Series's Road to Indy ladder system. An 18 race schedule was announced on October 5, 2021 featuring five permanent road courses, two street circuits, and a single oval in the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

The 2022 USF Juniors championship was the inaugural season of USF Juniors. It became the new first rung of the Road to Indy ladder. The season featured a six-round 16-race calendar, which began April 23 at Ozarks International Raceway and concluded on September 18 at the Circuit of the Americas.

The 2023 USF2000 Championshippresented by Cooper Tires was the fourteenth season of the USF2000 Championship since its revival in 2010. When the top rung of the Road to Indy ladder system, Indy Lights, was bought by Penske Entertainment in 2021 and the lower level series changed sanctioning to the United States Auto Club, changes were made to the other championships in the ladder. This, together with the Indy Lights being rebranded to Indy NXT, effectively ended the "Road to Indy" branding, with the three championships below Indy NXT now collectively called "USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires". The USF2000 Championship served as the middle rung of this ladder.

The 2023 USF Pro 2000 Championship was the 25th season in series history and the first under the USF Pro 2000 moniker. When the top rung of the Road to Indy ladder system, Indy Lights, was bought by Penske Entertainment in 2021 and the lower level series changed sanctioning to the United States Auto Club, changes were made to the other championships in the ladder that resulted in the championship being rebranded for 2023. This, together with the Indy Lights being rebranded to Indy NXT, effectively ended the "Road to Indy" branding, with the three championships below Indy NXT now collectively called "USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires".

The 2023 USF Juniors championship was the second season of USF Juniors. The season features a six-round 16-race calendar, which began on March 23 at Sebring International Raceway and concluded on August 27 at the Circuit of the Americas.

The 2024 USF2000 Championshippresented by Continental Tire will be the fifteenth season of the USF2000 Championship since its revival in 2010. The championship serves as the second rung of the IndyCar Series's USF Pro Championships ladder system.

The 2024 USF Juniors presented by Continental Tire championship was the third season of USF Juniors. The season featured a six-round 16-race calendar, which began on April 5 at NOLA Motorsports Park and concluded on August 25 at the Portland International Raceway.

DEForce Racing is an American motorsport team that currently competes in the USF Pro 2000 Championship, the USF2000 Championship, and in USF Juniors. The team was founded in 2017 by former Champ Car World Series and IndyCar Series driver David Martínez, and his brother Ernesto Martínez.

The 2025 USF Pro 2000 Championship presented by ContinentalTire is the scheduled 27th season of the junior series two levels below the IndyCar series. It will be the third season under the USF Pro 2000 moniker after the most recent rebrand in 2023.

References

  1. "USF Juniors: About". usfjuniors.com. Andersen Promotions. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Glendenning, Mark (September 30, 2021). "Andersen Promotions unveils USF Juniors series". racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  3. Demmendaal, Jeroen (19 April 2022). "Your season guide to the 2022 USF Juniors Championship". f1feederseries.com. F1FeederSeries. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  4. "Ligier JS". usfjuniors.com. Anderson Promotions. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  5. "Meet USF Juniors, the newest entry-level feeder series in the United States". F1 Feeder Series. 2021-09-30. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  6. "USF Pro Championships Confirms New Presenting Partner". www.usfpro2000.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.