The youngest driver in the Mazda Road to Indy in 2017 is returning for a second season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda.

And he may still be the youngest driver competing in the series.

Pabst Racing announced that Kaylen Frederick will race for the team in 2018. The 15-year-old from Potomac, Maryland native will pilot the #24 Pilot ONE Racing-sponsored Pabst Racing entry in his second season in USF2000. 

Frederick, began his racing career at the age of 7 and charged onto the Mazda Road to Indy scene in 2017, earning five podiums and nine top-five finishes. In only his rookie season, he finished an impressive fourth overall. 

“After testing in the off-season in BRDC F3, Pro Mazda, Formula Atlantic and USF2000, working with Pilot ONE Racing we’ve decided to focus on the USF2000 campaign in 2018,” said Frederick. “Pabst Racing will provide the ideal team, car, and race preparation to enable me to win the USF2000 championship. After testing with Pabst and winning races with Tonis Kasemets in Formula Atlantic, I've found a team, lead engineer and environment that let my driving skills and focus excel.”

Although the official racing season has yet to start, Frederick has been honing his skills and race craft, preparing for 2018 in a wide variety of race cars and venues. Recently, Frederick earned three Formula Atlantic wins at Sebring International Raceway in the HSR Series and followed this up with four poles and two more wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Sebring in the SCCA Majors and Hoosier SCCA Super-Tour. As pre-season testing quickly approaches, Pabst Racing owner Augie Pabst was thrilled with the addition of Frederick as the fourth driver to an already competitive lineup.

“We had our eye on Kaylen throughout the 2017 season, knowing he would be a great addition to our team in 2018,” said Pabst. “Now that he is a Pabst driver, I’m certain we have signed the best four USF2000 drivers in the series.  As our driver lineup is now set, we will be focused on the final preparations for the 2018 season.”

Having had the opportunity to not only test with the Pabst Racing team but also work with Kasemets in his off-season Formula Atlantic races has given the team and young driver the opportunity to develop solid momentum heading into the exciting 2018 USF2000 race calendar.

“My goals for 2018 are to race at the highest levels and against the toughest fields available,” Frederick said. “With the wide variety of circuits, the USF2000 Series and the Mazda Road to Indy is the place for me to be in 2018. As a second year driver in USF2000, my focus is on winning races and leading the championship.”

Osborne joins Newman Wachs lineup

Team USA Scholarship nominee David Osborne will step up to the Mazda Road to Indy in 2018.

The 21-year-old engineering student at Miami University in Ohio will now join Newman Wachs Racing’s two previously-confirmed drivers - Darren Keane and Oscar Deluzuriaga.

“David tested with us in October at Indy and I was impressed by the way he went about everything and with the speed that he produced by the end of the day,” said Brian Halahan, NWR Team Manager. “Since then, we have had a chance to do two more test days and we’ve learned more of what he likes in the car and we have high expectations for him. We are really excited to have David as a part of the team.”

Osborne got his start in racing in 2013 by competing the Skip Barber INDYCAR Academy Shootout, and despite only had driven a race car twice before, placed fifth out of 30 drivers. 

He moved on to compete for two years in karting, running for the Trinity Karting Group in the TaG Sr. class, where he earned many pole positions and podiums while finishing third in the KRA championship at New Castle Motorsports Park in Indiana. Osborne’s hunger for racing remained, so last season, 2017 he ran in the F1600 series with Team Pelfrey, finishing fifth in the championship. He scored his first race car victory at Mid-Ohio in July. In October, he ran with Newman Wachs Racing on the second day of the Chris Griffis Memorial Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“The opportunity to partner with Newman Wachs Racing for the 2018 USF2000 championship is truly exciting for me,” Osborne enthused. “NWR has all the qualities of a team that is poised to compete for the championship title this year and I am pleased to be a part of their program. Through initial phases of pre-season testing, the team and I have begun to really synergize, and I look forward to carrying this momentum into St. Petersburg.”