Shannon McIntosh today formally announced a full-season deal with Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing in the Road to Indy feeder series USF2000. News release below. We shot Shannon a series of burning questions about her road back to full-time racing ...
pressdog: Give us a little overview of how it came together. Long process? Short process? Did you have to work at it slow and steady or was it wait-wait-wait then a flurry of activity?
Shannon: Haha…It was a roller coaster. We talked with a few teams and I ended up getting the rest of my budget sealed up and signing with the team VERY QUICKLY. A lot of stuff was crammed into a short period of time and it was a whirlwind! It happened all so quickly, I don’t think I’ve had time to realize it’s happening!
Shannon: I’m excited! I am anxious and chomping at the bit to get started on this new journey. Not only will I be turning right, but I’ll be learning a lot of different techniques that are completely foreign to oval racers. I am very confident that I’ve got the right team behind me to help me quickly bridge this gap but I’m looking forward to seeing what driving on an oval with downforce is like!
pressdog: Why USF2000 and not Star Mazda or even Lights?
Shannon: We looked into both USF2000 and Star Mazda. We felt it would be the right decision to start with the first step in the Mazda Road to Indy with the USF2000 series -– gaining the road racing experience from the first step on the ladder and working up through the system that INDYCAR and Mazda have put in place. It’s surprising, even to me, the amount of difference in what I’ve done for 16 years, and the craft of road racing open-wheel cars -– so learning it the right way and step by step is important.
pressdog: What are your goals for the year? How would you finish the sentence "I'll consider the year a success if ..."
Shannon: …We are in contention for the Championship. High goals! As soon as I fully figure out the new (for me) dynamic of these cars -- I’ll think I’ll be right where I hope to be which is at the front of the field. I’ll be very happy if we’re getting podium finishes by the middle of the season.
pressdog: Was your move to Florida part of the plan or were you just sick of cold winter?
Shannon: Both!! I moved south in hopes that I could seal the deal on this program via a sponsor. I also wanted to be down here for training and off-season karting/testing. Now, I don’t want to go back! :)
pressdog: Did the schwervy pressdog.com shirt have anything to do with you landing this ride? You can be honest.
Shannon: Uhhh totally. I sleep with it every night. Only washed it once, and put it in my purse anytime I’m going to a meeting or the track. :)
pressdog: Having been out of a car for most of a couple of years now, what are the big lessons you've learned about this "chasing a ride" process?
Shannon: This will be the first full season opportunity I’ve had since 2006. I have learned that you can’t keep all your eggs in one basket and you have to explore all opportunities. Originally, I had a very straight and narrow path that I saw myself following (Midgets/Sprint Cars, ARCA, Nationwide, Cup). I’ve since then completely switched directions due to some open doors and have been given a huge opportunity. Chasing a ride means, tenacity and persistence. Perseverance says it all in this business, especially when you’re trying to find sponsorships to race.
pressdog: Did you ever get to a point where you were close to saying "Screw this; I'm doing to do something else?"
Shannon: No way. After high school, I went to UNC Charlotte for one year. The plan was to further my education, continue pursuing racing, and work. I wanted to do it all, but I couldn’t do it all and do it all well. After doing well in school that year, but not having a back up plan after one of my racing programs fell through, I decided I was going to focus 110% on one thing. So my number one priority, racing, took the lead and I’ve gone with it. Things get rocky but I have my eyes set on that Borg-Warner.
pressdog: Obviously you have some faith in the Road to Indy ladder process. What impresses/do you like about the ladder system? In other words, why did you decide to get on the openwheel ladder and maybe not look around in ARCA or something (or did you look around in ARCA or something too)?
Shannon: I’m very impressed at the incentive they’ve put in place. What other series gives you the incentive to win, knowing that there is a career-advancing opportunity waiting for you? We all know this business is all about finding the money (at this point in time), and being able to focus solely on your racing season -– looking for a championship, and knowing that your next season will be set is HUGE.
I’ve always been an INDYCAR fan but my natural progression obviously, would have been the ARCA/NASCAR route. With several doors opening and enlightening me to a different craft in which I love and have opportunities in, I’ve decided I’d take it and run with it!
Team News Release ...
Shannon McIntosh to Compete for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing in USF2000
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (February 15, 2011) – Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing announced today it has signed 21-year-old USAC product Shannon McIntosh to drive in the 2011 Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda. McIntosh will pilot the No. 2 Mazda for the 12 USF2000 race events.
“We are excited to have Shannon join the team,” team principle Dominic Cape said. “We knew when we tested with her she had the skills, maturity and passion to compete for the championship. We are looking forward to a great season and positive results from Shannon.”
McIntosh, a Miamisburg, OH native, tested with a host of teams including Juncos Racing and JDC Motorsports before deciding on Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing. The Cape brothers, Dominic and Nicholas, have won five championships, three rookie-of-the-year honors and amassed 54 wins and 68 pole positions in the USF2000, IMSA Lites and Cooper Series. The Capes have worked with many drivers including NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne, open-wheel standout JR Hildebrand and 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona class winner Andy Lally.
They have also fielded a team every year since the series’ inception in the early 1990’s, placing second in the 2010 USF2000 National Championship Series points’ battle, capturing six podium finishes and two race-wins. McIntosh will team with Finland native Petri Suvanto who was announced to the team just last week.
With more than 100 race wins over the course of her 16-year racing career, St. Petersburg, FL-based McIntosh competed in the USAC Midget regional series in 2010 under the guidance of Bob East, capturing four top-10 finishes, which included two podium and three top-five results.
“I’m so honored to have the opportunity that Dominic Cape and Wayne Taylor are giving me,” said McIntosh. “We put a lot of thought into running either USF2000 or Star Mazda in 2011, and we felt I would benefit greatly from progressing through the entire Mazda Road to Indy program from the first step. I have to thank all of my partners, investors and especially the fans for all the support I have been given over the course of my career. I look forward to the road ahead.”
As a five-year-old, the brunette McIntosh began her quest to one day compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and attempt to qualify for the famed Indianapolis 500. McIntosh must first complete a three-step developmental ladder system, designed to bring up-and-coming drivers to the forefront of American open-wheel racing. She’ll make her debut in the ‘Mazda Road to Indy’ program in 2011, which also includes the Star Mazda Championship and Firestone Indy Lights, as part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver program.
In preparation for the USF2000 season-opener on March 17 at Sebring International Raceway, McIntosh and Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing will continue a rigorous off-season testing platform. The schedule continues with 11 additional race-events held in conjunction with the IZOD IndyCar Series, American Le Mans and USAC.
Glass Hammer Racing (beatbyagirl.org) and the book Indy 500: An American Icon have teamed to support McIntosh’s No. 2 USF2000 Mazda entry for 2011 in addition to Arai Helmets.
2011 USF2000 Schedule
March 17-18 Sebring Intl. Raceway w/ALMS
March 26-27 Streets of St. Petersburg w/IndyCar
May 28 Lucas Oil Raceway w/USAC
June 18 Milwaukee Mile w/IndyCar
August 5-6 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course w/IndyCar and ALMS
Aug. 19-20 Road America w/ALMS
Sept. 4 Streets of Baltimore w/IndyCar and ALMS
For more information, please visit www.ShannonMcintosh.com, www.CapeMotorsports.com, or www.USF2000.com.
Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing was formed in 2010 as a partnership between two successful racing entities. With leadership from brothers Nicholas and Dominic Cape, and along with Wayne Taylor and his organization in Indianapolis, the team campaigns cars in the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda.
Looking forward to seeing how she does on the twisties--good luck to her.
I think I'll be following the feeder series, at least on line, a lot more this year--it's getting interesting.
(A sidenote, Dog: Barber is marketing the hell out of their race. They had a deal on Groupon for a pair of tkts for $55 that sold out. Now they're teaming up with Talledega for tkts for both the N-car race there and the Barber Indy race for $99. Pretty neat deals, I think.)
Posted by: redd carr | February 16, 2011 at 06:20 PM
@ redd carr,
Pretty mega deal there from Barber. It'll be interesting to see what they are like numbers-wise come raceday.
Posted by: Leigh O'Gorman | February 17, 2011 at 08:24 PM
I've always wanted to be a race car driver. It looks so cool, and you get to feel that awesome adrenaline rush in every race. Shannon McIntosh is actually one of the female race car drivers I like. She's very laid back and seems like a goofy pal.
Posted by: Penny Geist | December 21, 2011 at 01:45 PM