The USF Juniors championship, also known as USF Juniors presented by Continental Tire for sponsorship reasons, is an American auto racing series running with USF2000 cars (as of 2023). The series was inaugurated in 2022 as a new first rung of the Road to Indy, below the USF2000 Championship. The series is owned by Andersen Promotions and sanctioned by USAC.[1]
 | |
| Category | Single seaters |
|---|---|
| Country |  United States |
| Inaugural season | 2022 |
| Drivers | 17 |
| Teams | 7 |
| Constructors | Tatuus |
| Engine suppliers | Mazda |
| Tyre suppliers | Continental |
| Drivers' champion |  Max Taylor |
| Teams' champion | VRD Racing |
| Official website | usfjuniors.com |
 Current season | |
History
editThe USF Juniors championship was formally announced in September 2021. Series founder Dan Andersen cited the need for an additional step up above karting luxe to the increasingly competitive nature of the USF2000 Championship. He further established the want to provide "a true entry level series that is professionally managed where drivers, teams and parents can focus on training and racing via shorter, more economical events, while also lowering the spotlight on young drivers that often occurs on IndyCar race weekends."[2] The series was also made as a direct competitor to the Formula 4 United States Championship.[3] To allow champions of the series to progress in their careers, winners will receive a scholarship valued at $200,000.
For the series' inaugural season, a six-event scheduled was planned featuring all road courses. USAC, which already handled duties for the USF2000 Championship and USF Pro 2000 Championship, was named the sanctioning body for the series. Former driver Gustavo Yacamán was hired as the series manager, while another two former drivers, Joel Miller and Johnny Unser, were hired as race stewards.[2]
Cars
editFor the series' inaugural season, competitors used a Ligier JS F4 chassis with a 160 hp 2.0 Liter engine made by Honda Performance Development (HPD).[4] As with all other series in the Road to Indy ladder, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, through their Cooper brand, was the tire supplier for the series for the first two years. For the 2023 season, USF Juniors began using the Tatuus JR-23 chassis, which can be upgraded for use in both USF2000 and USF Pro 2000 as drivers and teams progress through the Road to Indy ladder. The new car also uses the same MZR engine used in the Road to Indy series.[5] From 2024, Continental provides the tires along with the title partnership of the series.[6]
Circuits
edit
Champions
edit| Season | Drivers Champion | Teams Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 |  Mac Clark
|
VRD Racing
|
| 2023 |  Nicolas Giaffone
|
DEForce Racing
|
| 2024 | Max Taylor
|
Velocity Racing Development
|
References
edit- ^ "USF Juniors: About". usfjuniors.com. Andersen Promotions. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ a b Glendenning, Mark (September 30, 2021). "Andersen Promotions unveils USF Juniors series". racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ Demmendaal, Jeroen (19 April 2022). "Your season guide to the 2022 USF Juniors Championship". f1feederseries.com. F1FeederSeries. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ "Ligier JS". usfjuniors.com. Anderson Promotions. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ "Meet USF Juniors, the newest entry-level feeder series in the United States". F1 Feeder Series. 2021-09-30. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
- ^ "USF Pro Championships Confirms New Presenting Partner". www.usfpro2000.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.