This year the program offers over $500,000 in prizes and awards, with the USF2000 champion receiving a scholarship valued at $375,000 to advance to the Star Mazda Championship.

Formula 2000 cars first appeared in North America during the mid-80s. The category was particularly popular in Canada, with series' sponsored by Export A and Canadian Tire. The early cars were powered by a four-cylinder, 2.0-liter overhead-camshaft Ford engine, which produces approximately 150-horsepower. Mounted to the engine is a Hewland Mk 9 gearbox with four forward speeds and one reverse. The single-seater chassis is a tubular spaceframe design fitted with an aluminum floor pan and fiberglass bodywork. The cars also use wings mounted at the front and rear. The whole package weighs just under 1,200-lbs.

Today's Formula 2000 cars conform to many of the same rules, but advances in technology and aerodynamics have allowed them to be faster.

Last season there were two classes – Championship and National. This year the two categories have been combined.

Teams are required to use a Van Diemen chassis manufactured from 2001 to 2010. The 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 170-horsepower.

The 2014 schedule consists of fourteen races held over seven race weekends on seven tracks – two street circuits, one oval, and four permanent road courses.

• March 29-30 - Streets of St. Petersburg
• April 26-27 - Barber Motorsports Park
• May 9-10 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• May 24 - Lucas Oil Raceway
• July 19-20 - Streets of Toronto
• August 1-3 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
• August 22-23 - Sonoma

Rounds six and seven of the 2014 USF2000 National Championship were held at Toronto's Exhibition Place. Drivers would compete in two races around the eleven-turn 1.755-mile temporary street circuit.

Heavy rain and a flooded track forced organizers to postpone the weekend's first contest until 7:45 Sunday morning.