MONTEREY, Calif. – For the six straight season, Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing has won the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. Having already clinched the Team Championship thanks to the performances of Anthony Martin and Parker Thompson at Mid-Ohio in August, the Cape crew celebrated yet another driver title during the Monday evening banquet after Martin scored a pair of podium finishes at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to edge Thompson in the standings by just 21 points.
Martin joins recent Cape Motorsports USF2000 driver champions Nico Jamin, Florian Latorre, Scott Hargrove, Matthew Brabham, and Petri Suvanto on a star-studded list. The team recorded four podium finishes in Monterey, as Thompson and Martin swapped the second and third place finishes during the doubleheader finale.
“It’s been another fantastic year for us in USF2000, claiming our 10th championship and keeping the streak alive at six titles,” offered Dominic and Nicholas Cape. “Anthony, Parker and Nikita have been a pleasure to work with all year. To think we were 30 points down leaving Saint Petersburg, it was our worst result in USf2000 since 2010, with a field this deep in talent, it was a daunting task to come back from. But, everyone dug in and we bounced back at the next round and built momentum from there. The commitment that was shown by the individuals on the team was incredible, we are so proud of everyone.”
Martin and Thompson were joined by Nikita Lastochkin to complete the Cape trio in Monterey, and all three drivers filled the top-five after the opening practice session on the iconic 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit. The team continued to run strong through to qualifying on Saturday morning, as Martin timed in second with a 1:26.647 to secure a front row start for both races of the doubleheader. Thompson was less than tenth behind in third spot, while Lastochkin capped the top-five with a 1:26.962.
In the opening race, Martin and Thompson got off to a great start and held their positions. Thompson began to put the pressure on his teammate and finally completed the pass with a nice over-under move heading into turn six midway through the race, taking over second. They would run that way through to the checkered flag, as Martin wisely focused on the points he needed to secure the title. Lastochkin was having a strong run in the top-10 before an off-track excursion in turn five dropped him to 11th.
On Sunday, Martin and Thompson faced off for the title. Parker pushed hard through the opening set of corners to get ahead of Anthony and force the issue, but the Aussie held strong and maintained his position. The Cape drivers paced each other all race, running just a second apart, but they were equal on pace and Thompson simply could not mount a charge. Lastochkin rebounded impressively, and finished a strong sixth to cap off the 2016 season. In the end, Anthony Martin would hold onto the runner-up position behind eventual race winner Victor Franzoni, which gave him the points he needed to win the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda title. Thompson finished second, just 21 points back, while Lastochkin finished eighth overall in the final championship standings.
DRIVER PERFORMANCE / QUOTES
MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA – MONTEREY, CA
SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2016
ANTHONY MARTIN - USF2000 #8
Qualifying: 2nd – 1:26.647
Race 1: Start – 2nd / Finish – 3rd
Race 2: Start – 2nd / Finish – 3rd
Driver Quote: “Wow, what a year it has been for me. There have been some tough times but everybody involved with Cape Motorsports has pulled me through them. They always made the Burgess BLA car great to drive all year and it’s been awesome to be representing the team and giving them yet another championship win. Without them, this would not be possible. Obviously this weekend was a little tougher for me, but I knew what I had to do at the start of the race meeting and I think I did just that. Parker, for sure, was fighting to the end and made it difficult for me, but he has done just that all year and I enjoyed the many battles we have had throughout the year. I cannot thank my parents enough for everything they do for me and I was so happy that they could be here for the finale. I also want to thank my sponsors Burgess BLA for all the support they have given me through my whole career and Challenge Drilling for everything they do. Of course, none of this would be possible without the support from Mazda and Cooper Tires, because not only do they both work together to make a car go around a track, but they also work together to raise a lot of money for the series and give all of us drivers the best possible events to race at.”
PARKER THOMPSON – USF2000 #2
Qualifying: 3rd – 1:26.710
Race 1: Start – 3rd / Finish – 2nd
Race 2: Start – 3rd / Finish – 3rd
Driver Quote: “There are no words to describe the feeling of watching someone else hoist the championship trophy that you devoted yourself to winning. What could have been a championship season for me had a few variables out of my control that I am ultimately paying for now. I can tell you one thing, this will be great fuel in the off-season to build myself into something even better on and off the track. A big congratulations goes out to my mate Anthony. If I couldn't get the Championship win, I wouldn't want anyone else lifting up that trophy. Lastly, thank you to my family, supporters and partners - I would be nowhere if I didn't have such an amazing group of people behind me that believe in my ability on and off the track."
NIKITA LASTOCHKIN - USF2000 #3
Qualifying: 5th – 1:26.962
Race 1: Start – 5th / Finish – 11th
Race 2: Start – 6th / Finish – 6th
Driver Quote: “It was an OK last weekend for me. The track seemed quite strange and overall had very low grip the whole weekend, with the balance of the car changing completely from one set of tires to the other in the same session. Nonetheless, it is always good fun to be driving at Mazda Raceway."
About Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing: 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 and the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The goal of Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing is to provide unmatched driver development both on and off the track. It is difficult for a young driver to jump into a professional series and win, regardless of talent. Through coaching and mentoring, Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing provides young drivers with as much knowledge of motorsports to become as successful as possible.