The Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda, made its debut in 2010. The series serves as the first rung on Mazda's Road to Indy and is sanctioned by IndyCar. The program aims to provide a scholarship fund path to reach the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. The Road to Indy has attracted driving talent from all over the world. Last year's champion, Anthony Martin, is participating in the season's Star Mazda Championship.

This year the program offers over $511,000 in prizes and awards, with the USF2000 champion receiving a scholarship to advance to the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires.

In 2017, the series introduced the new Mazda-powered Tatuus USF-17. The Tatuus USF-17 is a full carbon and aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis meeting FIA F4 safety standards, including side impact panels, front and rear impact structures. In addition to safety enhancements, the car includes a six-speed paddle shift gearbox and two-way adjustable shock absorbers. The Tatuus also uses thirteen-inch slick and rain tires manufactured by Cooper Tires, which are mounted on American Racing wheels.

USF2000 cars are powered by a Mazda MZR engine. The power plant is a four-cylinder, double-overhead camshaft, fuel-injected, two-liter motor which produces 175-horsepower and 160-foot pounds of torque. The motors are prepared and sealed by Elite Engines.

The National Class has returned for teams that own the Van Diemen DP08 chassis. Drivers competing in this class will have their point structure.

In addition to Mazda and Cooper Tires, series partners include Allied Building Products, Elite Engines, Carl Haas Automobile Imports, VP Racing Fuels, Performance Friction Brakes, Cosworth, Tilton, Dynamic Suspensions and Racing Communications.

The 2017 schedule consists of fourteen races over eight race weekends on eight tracks – two street circuits, one oval, and five permanent road courses.

  • March 11-12 - Streets of St. Petersburg
  • April 21-22 - Barber Motorsports Park
  • May 12-13 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
  • June 23-24 - Road America
  • July 9 - Iowa Speedway
  • July 16-17 - Toronto
  • July 28-29 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
  • September 2 - Watkins Glen International

Rounds ten and eleven of the 2017 Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda were held a Toronto’s Exhibition Place. Drivers would compete in two contests around the eleven-turn 1.755-mile temporary street circuit.

Parker Thompson was in his third season of the USF2000 championship. Last year, Thompson finished second in the title chase with Cape Motorsports. In 2017, he joined Exclusive Autosport driving the No. 90 Tatuus USF-17. After nine rounds, Thompson was yet to collect a first-place finish. That changed in Toronto, where he went flag-to-flag for the victory in race one. The next day, Thompson inherited the lead and won.
2016 Mazda Road to Indy Shootout champion Oliver Askew drove the No. 3 Cape Motorsports Tatuus USF-17. The rookie won five of the first six rounds and collected another victory at Iowa Speedway. Askew qualified third for Saturday’s race in Toronto. The retirement of Ricky Donison gave him a runner-up result. On Sunday, Askew started on the pole, but on lap 9, he was involved in an incident and finished twelfth.
Title contender Rinus Veekay drove the No. 21Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-17. Veekay was second in the standings with seven podium results, of which two were victories. He qualified and finished third in the weekend’s first contest. The next day, Veekay started fifth. During the race, there was contact between Alex Baron and David Malukas, which also involved Oliver Askew. Veekay finished second and closed the gap on Askew to eighteen points.
The No. 81 Team Pelfrey Tatuus USF-17 was piloted by Kaylen Frederick. Frederick ran the final two races of last year with Team Pelfrey. He recorded the fourth fastest time during qualifying for round ten in Toronto. Unfortunately, an accident on lap-2 of the race forced him to retire. Looking for a chance to redeem himself. On Sunday, Frederick started thirteenth. He charged to the front and finished in the third position.
In 2016 Guyanese driver Calvin Ming participated in the F1600 championship with Team Pelfrey, collected three wins, and finished fourth in the series. This year, Ming joined Pabst Racing driving the No. 22 Tatuus in USF2000. He had already claimed three podiums by the time the series visited Toronto. Unfortunately, rounds ten and eleven weren’t two of Ming’s better outings. He finished eleventh and fourteenth.

POSSTARTDRIVERENTRANTCARLAPSRETIREMENTS
11Parker ThompsonExclusive AutosportTatuus USF-1725-
22Oliver AskewCape MotorsportsTatuus USF-1725-
33Rinus VeeKayPabst RacingTatuus USF-1725-
46José SierraDEForce RacingTatuus USF-1725-
512Lucas KohlPabst RacingTatuus USF-1725-
68Alex BaronArmsUp MotorsportsTatuus USF-1725-
710Devin WojcikArmsUp MotorsportsTatuus USF-1725-
813Moisés de la VaraDEForce RacingTatuus USF-1725-
915Jayson ClunieExclusive AutosportTatuus USF-1725-
1014Darren KeaneNewman Wachs RacingTatuus USF-1724-
1111Kory EndersDEForce RacingTatuus USF-1722-
1216Dev GoreExclusive AutosportTatuus USF-1719Accident
137Robert MegennisTeam PelfreyTatuus USF-1718Accident
149Calvin MingPabst RacingTatuus USF-1712Accident
155David MalukasBN RacingTatuus USF-179Accident
1617Ricky DonisonCape MotorsportsTatuus USF-177Mechanical
174Kaylen FrederickTeam PelfreyTatuus USF-172Accident

POSSTARTDRIVERCARENTRANTLAPSRETIREMENTS
14Parker ThompsonExclusive AutosportTatuus USF-1722-
25Rinus VeeKayPabst RacingTatuus USF-1722-
313Kaylen FrederickTeam PelfreyTatuus USF-1722-
411Darren KeaneNewman Wachs RacingTatuus USF-1722-
56Robert MegennisTeam PelfreyTatuus USF-1722-
68Devin WojcikArmsUp MotorsportsTatuus USF-1722-
712Kory EndersDEForce RacingTatuus USF-1722-
89José SierraDEForce RacingTatuus USF-1722-
916Jayson ClunieExclusive AutosportTatuus USF-1722-
1015Dev GoreExclusive AutosportTatuus USF-1722-
117Calvin MingPabst RacingTatuus USF-1720-
123Oliver AskewCape MotorsportsTatuus USF-1710Accident
131Alex BaronArmsUp MotorsportsTatuus USF-178Accident
142David MalukasBN RacingTatuus USF-178Accident
1510Lucas KohlPabst RacingTatuus USF-170Accident
-14Moisés de la VaraDEForce RacingTatuus USF-17-Did Not Start
-17Ricky DonisonCape MotorsportsTatuus USF-17-Did Not Start

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