Kiwi talent Jacob Douglas returns to the grid this weekend in the USF Pro 2000 Championship, targeting a major push up the points standings as the season enters its final stretch.
Douglas heads into the double-header at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sixth in the standings, locked in a tight battle for second place.
While his Pabst Racing teammate Max Garcia enjoys a commanding 72-point lead in the Driver’s Championship, Douglas remains firmly in contention, just 45 points off second place.
The 20-year-old New Zealander arrives at Mid-Ohio in strong form, following an impressive outing at Road America that saw him secure back-to-back podiums in the opening two races and charge from the back of the field to a top ten finish in Race 3 after being caught in a mid-race incident.
“Really looking forward to getting back out there,” said Douglas.
“We tested at Mid-Ohio earlier this year and had solid pace, even with poor weather and a focus on long-run setups. I’m feeling confident after a strong showing at Road America, where we picked up our third and fourth podiums of the season.
“The championship fight is still wide open. A strong weekend here could put us second in the standings heading into the final two race weekends. Max has a healthy lead, but we’re not counting anything out just yet.”
Douglas also spoke to the value of momentum at this stage of the year:
“We’re heading into a really important phase of the season. It’s all about consistency now, maximising every session, qualifying well, and keeping it clean in the races. Mid-Ohio can be unforgiving, so staying sharp and adaptable will be key.”
Douglas brings additional experience at Mid-Ohio from his time in the USF2000 Championship, where he scored two top ten finishes. That familiarity could prove crucial as he aims to capitalise on every opportunity in this weekend’s key battles.
Track action kicks off with two test sessions on Friday, followed by official practice at 1:45 am NZST on Saturday. Qualifying gets underway at 4:15 am NZST, the same day.
Race 1 takes place at 3:55 am NZST on Sunday, with Race 2 scheduled for 9:15 am NZST. Both races will run over 30 laps.
Fans can catch all the action live on the USF Pro Championships YouTube channel.
Header Image: Gavin Baker Photography
