CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cannon McIntosh enters the new USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series season full of optimism.
He’s back with his family team, Dave Mac Dalby Motorsports and with the same set of crew members he spent most of last season working with. Robert Dalby returns as crew chief, while Crescent Tools as part of his relationship with Toyota Racing Development, will sponsor the team in 40 events.
“This is going to be our second year (back with the family team),” said McIntosh, who spent the 2020 season racing for Keith Kunz Motorsports. “I think we learned a lot last year and got a lot of notes built up in our notebook. I think I learned a lot more as a driver. I’m always learning every race. For me to get back with the family team again for a second consecutive year, I think it’s going to be good.
“I think we’re going to blow a lot of people away.”
McIntosh has shown flashes of excellence in recent years, including back-to-back Chili Bowl preliminary night feature victories in 2020 and ’21. Last year he scored three POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League triumphs in addition to collecting a handful of USAC triumphs in recent years.
This season McIntosh’s goal is to take home the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series championship, while also competing in select POWRi Midget League events. He also plans to participate in the inaugural Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series season.
In addition to his already packed schedule, McIntosh hopes to add some winged sprint car racing to his slate if he’s able to find a ride.
“If I can expand to run some sprint car races, I’d like to do that as well,” McIntosh explained. “I don’t really have any plans set up for that yet, but I would like to try and maximize my schedule and get as much seat time as I can. Obviously, I don’t have too much experience in a sprint car, so it would be nice to expand that way a little bit and do a little more than just the midget.
“The goal is obviously to go win a USAC midget championship. That’s the main focus, the rest is just a fill in.”
McIntosh said he is willing to expand his racing résumé to include asphalt late model racing. TRD drivers who start on dirt typically began dabbling in asphalt late models after a few years and McIntosh falls right in that range.
“The biggest thing is just maximizing every opportunity,” McIntosh said. “They’ve brought me a long way. They’ve brought me this great partnership (with Crescent Tools). I’m grateful for everything they’ve brought me so far. The biggest thing is performing when I can and performing the best I can at the level I’m at.
“They want to win championships and they want to win races. I have to do my part and kind of make that step in that direction. They can only do so much for me, the rest I have to do.”
Following a mediocre run in the Chili Bowl last month, McIntosh’s focus is on the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series opener Feb. 11-12 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.
This will be the first time McIntosh heads to Florida with his current group of crew members, which joined his team following the opening races of last season. He believes a season’s worth of work will pay dividends this weekend.
“The goal is to kind of set the tone,” McIntosh said. “We struggled there last year, but obviously we have a whole different group of guys than when we showed up last year. It’s a whole different story I think this year with Robert Dalby as my crew chief.
“He showed speed there last year with his driver. I’m confident in what package he is going to have for me and I’m confident in myself,” McIntosh added. “I’ve been preparing for this. I’m ready for this season. I think it’s going to be a whole different season compared to last year.”