A brand-new circuit and a new championship campaign await Kiwi racer Jacob Douglas as the 2026 USF Pro 2000 season roars to life on the Streets of Arlington this weekend.
Douglas, competing for Pabst Racing, will race twice on the all-new 2.73-mile (4.39km), 14-turn course set among Arlington’s major sports stadiums in Texas.
Arlington, a sports and entertainment hotspot between Dallas and Fort Worth, is home to the Dallas Cowboys NFL team and the Texas Rangers MLB team, creating a unique backdrop as the teams compete through streets lined with some of the largest sporting venues in North America.
All eyes will be on the track for Douglas, with the 20-year-old eager to get his title challenge off to the perfect start.
“This weekend is a really important one, and a strong start will set the benchmark for the season,” he said.
“It’s the first time we’ve raced at Arlington, so everyone is starting with a clean slate. It’s going to be about adapting quickly and making the most of every session.
“There’s going to be a lot going on around the venue, but from our side, the focus is simple: be right in the mix at the front of the field all weekend.
“We’ve shown strong pace through testing and in the lead-up to this event, so now it’s about utilising our Pabst Racing rocket ship to its full potential.”
Douglas arrives in Texas with strong momentum after an impressive showing during the series’ official Spring Training test at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month.
The New Zealander finished inside the top three in four of the five sessions he contested, underlining his pace while the team also executed a strategic tyre plan across the multi-day test.
His quickest lap of the week, a 1:20.9797, was just over a tenth of a second shy of the fastest time set across the three-day test, further underlining the team’s strong form heading into the opening rounds.
Track action begins with a sole practice session before qualifying on Friday, followed by both races on Saturday, local time.
New Zealand Session Times:
- FP1: Saturday, March 14, 5.30 am
- Qualifying: Saturday, March 14, 11.15 am
- Race 1: Sunday, March 15, 6.25 am
- Race 2: Sunday, March 15, 10.55 am
“With such limited practice, the track walk becomes a big part of preparation,” said Douglas.
“It gives you the chance to look at the bumps, kerbs and reference points so you’re not starting completely blind when practice begins.
“We’ve done the work leading into this weekend. Now it’s about putting everything together when it counts and making the most of the opportunity.”
Header Image: Gavin Baker Photography
