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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, Oliver Askew, is participating in the season's Pro Mazda Championship.
The 2018 USF2000 champion will receive a scholarship valued at $325,000 to advance to Pro Mazda Championship in 2019. The total event and year-end prizes on offer total over $498,000. The Cooper Tires Pole Award is $1,000 per race. 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. 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, Dynamic Suspensions and Racing Communications. The 2018 schedule consists of fourteen races over seven race weekends on seven tracks – two street circuits, one oval, and four permanent road courses.
Rounds eight and nine of the 2018 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. |
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After seven rounds, Kyle Kirkwood had five victories. Kirkwood, driving the No. 8 Cape Motorsports Tatuus USF-17, qualified third for race one at Toronto. He passed the pole-sitter, Dakota Dickerson, on the open lap and went flag-to-flag for the win. The next day, Kirkwood started fifth. An accident on lap-1 allowed him to move to the front. He battled with Igor Fraga and passed Fraga on lap-17 for the lead and victory. |
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Dakota Dickerson's primary focus for the 2018 season was the F4 United States Championship; he didn't join the USF2000 series until round six at Road America. In Toronto, Dickerson drove the No. 9 Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-17 and qualified first for Saturday's race. He grabbed the lead at the start but was passed by Kyle Kirkwood and finished second. In the finale, Dickerson started fourth and finished sixth. |
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To date, Brazil's Igor Fraga has collected one podium. The driver of the No. 91 DEForce Racing Tatuus USF-17 only completed two laps in qualifying for round eight and started in the seventeenth position. During the race, he advanced ten spots to finish seventh. On Sunday, Fraga started sixth, but an accident allowed him to take the lead until lap-17 when he was passed by Kyle Kirkwood. He earned his second rostrum of 2018. |
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Second in the points chase, entering Toronto, was the driver of the No. 24 Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-17, Kaylen Frederick. Frederick started the weekend's first contest on the outside of the front row. He was passed by the points leader, Kyle Kirkwood, during the race and finished third. On Sunday, Frederick started on the pole. Unfortunately, his lead only lasted until turn three, when he had to use the escape. Frederick finished eighth. |
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Swedish driver Rasmus Lindh piloted the No. 23 Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-17. He had earned three third-place results when the series stopped in Toronto. Lindh qualified fourth fastest for Saturday's contest and moved into third during the race. However, he lost a position to Kaylen Frederick and finished fourth. On Sunday, he started third and avoided the many incidents to grab the final spot on the rostrum. |
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| POS | START | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Kyle Kirkwood | Cape Motorsports | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 2 | 2 | Dakota Dickerson | Exclusive Autosport | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 3 | 1 | Kaylen Frederick | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 4 | 4 | Rasmus Lindh | Exclusive Autosport | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 5 | 6 | Keith Donegan | Team Pelfrey | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 6 | 7 | Calvin Ming | ArmsUp Motorsports | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 7 | 17 | Igor Fraga | DEForce Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 8 | 11 | Danial Frost | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 9 | 18 | Lucas Kohl | Team Pelfrey | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 10 | 9 | Julian Van der Watt | Newman Wachs Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 11 | 12 | Oscar DeLuzuriaga | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 12 | 15 | Colin Kaminsky | Newman Wachs Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 13 | 13 | Bruna Tomaselli | Team Pelfrey | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 14 | 14 | Russell McDonough | DEForce Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 15 | 16 | Kyle Dupell | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 20 | - |
| 16 | 10 | Kory Enders | BN Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 16 | Accident |
| 17 | 5 | Darren Keane | BN Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 14 | Accident |
| 18 | 8 | José Sierra | DEForce Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 1 | Accident |
| POS | START | DRIVER | CAR | ENTRANT | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Kyle Kirkwood | Cape Motorsports | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 2 | 6 | Igor Fraga | DEForce Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 3 | 3 | Rasmus Lindh | Exclusive Autosport | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 4 | 12 | Danial Frost | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 5 | 9 | Julian Van der Watt | Newman Wachs Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 6 | 4 | Dakota Dickerson | Exclusive Autosport | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 7 | 18 | José Sierra | DEForce Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 8 | 1 | Kaylen Frederick | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 9 | 16 | Kyle Dupell | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 10 | 17 | Oscar DeLuzuriaga | Pabst Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 25 | - |
| 11 | 7 | Calvin Ming | ArmsUp Motorsports | Tatuus USF-17 | 24 | - |
| 12 | 10 | Darren Keane | BN Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 24 | - |
| 13 | 15 | Bruna Tomaselli | Team Pelfrey | Tatuus USF-17 | 23 | Accident |
| 14 | 11 | Kory Enders | BN Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 23 | Accident |
| 15 | 8 | Lucas Kohl | Team Pelfrey | Tatuus USF-17 | 23 | - |
| 16 | 14 | Russell McDonough | DEForce Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 1 | Accident |
| 17 | 2 | Keith Donegan | Team Pelfrey | Tatuus USF-17 | 0 | Accident |
| 18 | 13 | Colin Kaminsky | Newman Wachs Racing | Tatuus USF-17 | 0 | Accident |
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