Douglas ready to tame the unknown in 2026

With less than a month remaining before the engines fire, 20-year-old New Zealander Jacob Douglas is ready to launch his 2026 USF Pro 2000 Championship campaign.

Entering his third season with Pabst Racing as a distinct title favourite, Douglas faces a revitalised calendar that promises to level the playing field.

While the championship retains its 18-round format, the schedule has undergone a significant shakeup. Traditional street circuit stops in St. Petersburg and Toronto have been replaced by two brand-new venues: the Streets of Arlington and the Streets of Markham.

The season officially opens March 13-15 with the inaugural Streets of Arlington event, a 2.73-mile (4.4 km) circuit winding around AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field in Texas.

Later in the season, the series heads to Canada for the technical Streets of Markham layout.

“I can’t wait to get started again, and I’m excited for the challenge,” Douglas said. “Arlington and Markham should be quite cool. They look quite different to the usual street tracks we’ve been on, which are very much a lot of second or third gear, 90-degree corners. There’s a bit more of a range now.”

The introduction of tracks never before raced by the field, including IndyCar drivers, presents a unique challenge. Without historical data, preparation is challenging.

“It’s tricky to prepare for these new tracks, especially when there’s no video to watch or no simulator,” Douglas adds.

“My first time in Toronto and St Petersburg, I was able to watch all the on-boards and then go onto the simulators afterwards, so I had a bit of direction heading into it, but these are two completely new tracks. The track walk will be super important; attention to detail there will make a big difference.”

Beyond the streets, the 2026 season increases the oval count to two, adding the historic Milwaukee Mile alongside Lucas Oil Raceway. Douglas views the faster, larger oval as essential development for his career goals.

“It gives us a chance to get out there on a proper IndyCar oval, so it’s going to be a lot faster,” said Douglas. “It’s something we all need to learn if we want to go to IndyCar, so it’s all valuable time.”

The schedule also features five road course weekends, including two stops at Road America, which is the home track for Pabst Racing and a personal favourite for Douglas, who has podiumed at every returning road course on the slate at least once.

“If I could race twice at any track, it probably would be Road America,” he added. “We had great pace there last year. The atmosphere there is amazing, so I’m glad we’re there twice.”

The 2026 USF Pro 2000 Championship action begins with official testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 16-18.

ENDS

About Jacob Douglas
Jacob Douglas is a 20-year-old racecar driver from New Zealand. He is a multiple-time national champion in karting and was the 2023 USF YACademy Champion. He took 11 podiums, including seven wins, in USF 2000 machinery in the United States in 2023, before making two GB3 cameos in 2024.

He is a member of New Zealand’s prestigious Elite Motorsport Academy, winning the renowned Bruce McLaren and Ian Snellgrove trophies among the Class of 2024.

In 2025, he finished fifth in the USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Continental, taking eight podiums, including one race victory, from sixteen starts.

2026 USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Continental Schedule

Photo credit to Gavin Baker Photography, taken at the USF Fall Combine at Indianapolis Motor Speedway