Veteran engineer Don Conner launches team with technical support from Cape brothers
In 2017, Cape Motorsports won the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda title in its first year in the program, running Kyle Kirkwood of Jupiter, Florida, to the crown. Long-time Cape Motorsports race engineer Don Conner was a key player in the team’s successful F4 debut and for 2018, he will step into the team owner role, launching DC Autosport in cooperation with Cape Motorsports. Conner’s technical resume is impressive, highlighted by engineering, driver coaching and data acquisition posts in Daytona Prototype with Beyer Racing and Indy Lights with Andersen Racing, alongside Cape Motorsports for more than ten years in USF2000, Pro Mazda and F4. Conner is excited to tackle his first foray in team ownership and management, as he rates the F4 U.S. Championship highly in the overall landscape of American open wheel racing.
“I believe the F4 series is the ideal place for drivers early in their careers, because costs are considered, and you're up against a large field with deep competition,” offered Conner. “Setting up the team this way gives me the opportunity to focus on it as a primary mission and apply myself to the cause on a day-to-day basis.”
The team will base itself in St. Louis, and will have three Ligier JS F4 chassis in the shop, the same cars that Conner engineered alongside the Capes to win last year’s F4 driver and team titles. DC Autosport will enjoy a close technical collaboration with Dominic and Nicholas Cape, the winningest team owners in American junior formula history, maintaining the momentum that the trio developed last season.
The team will begin testing in January and will have numerous outings on its schedule. The F4 U.S. Championship’s 2018 schedule kicks off officially on April 27-29 at Virginia International Raceway. The series consists of 18 races over six weekends, and will visit Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio, the Pittsburg International Race Complex and New Jersey Motorsports Park before capping the season at the Circuit of the Americas in October in support of the F1 United States Grand Prix.
Drivers and parents interested in scheduling a test with DC Autosport with Cape Motorsports should contact Don Conner directing at 618-593-4888.
