Kiwi teenager Jacob Douglas is poised for a big season in the USF Pro 2000 Championship presented by Continental Tires following two intense weekends to start his 2025 campaign.
Douglas showcased an impressive pace during pre-season testing at NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana. As the second-quickest rookie, he set the third-fastest time in the opening session. He followed that up with a sixth-place effort in Session 2 before the second day of testing was washed out due to weather conditions.
The 18-year-old carried this momentum into the season-opening round on the Streets of St. Petersburg, where he placed third among 22 drivers in practice and secured a fourth-place qualifying position.
Despite an unfortunate incident on Lap 6 of the opening race that forced him to retire, Douglas rebounded in Race 2 with an impressive drive to third, securing a podium on his debut weekend in the series.
“Starting in P5, I went back a little bit on the start but then managed to work our way forward, capitalising on everything going on in a crazy race,” he said. “I got into P3 for a nice recovery after a Race 1 DNF.
“Overall, it was a great weekend. We hit the ground running in practice, and a good qualifying run set us up for a strong result.
“It gives me a lot of motivation going forward, knowing that we have the pace to mix it at the front.
“Pabst Racing has been fantastic in helping me get up to speed. Their experience and support give me a lot of confidence, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together this year.
“The goal is to fight at the front and keep improving consistently. If we keep building on weekends like this, there’s no reason we can’t be in contention for wins and more podiums.
“There’s quite a large gap between this round and the next one at NOLA, but I can’t wait to get back out there to see how we go. I’ve been fast there already this year, and it’s a triple-header, so there’s a good opportunity to bank some solid points.”
Douglas’s team, Pabst Racing, has also begun its 2025 season strongly, collectively claiming four of the six podium spots across the two races.
“We’re thrilled to have Jacob back in a Pabst car for 2025,” said Pabst Racing owner Augie Pabst.
“Jacob’s pace after a year off proves that he will be contending for race wins throughout the season.”
Following his podium finish, Douglas sits ninth in the championship standings and is the sixth highest-ranked rookie heading into the triple-header event at NOLA Motorsports Park on April 10-13.
Douglas extends his gratitude to his sponsors, DP Homes, Douglas Fay, JDM Properties, Fleet Cost & Care, TC Performance, and his team, Pabst Racing, for their continued support.
Header Image: Gavin Baker Photography (Supplied)
