Cannon switched from Dale Coyne Racing to Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2020 season, serving as Scott Dixon’s race engineer for his sixth title that year. He continued in that role up to the middle of the 2022 season, when he was reassigned to future projects for CGR, although he still made occasional appearances on the #9 pitstand, supporting the #9 car’s quest for title glory.
However, for 2023, Cannon will lead AJ Foyt Racing’s race engineers Daniele Cucchiaroni and Roberto Garcia along with drivers Santino Ferrucci and rookie Benjamin Pedersen.
"It was an opportunity to do something that interests me," said Cannon. "I know that Larry [Foyt, team president] has been working hard to move the team up the grid. I saw this opportunity to both help him and Santino and obviously Benjamin Pedersen who's coming on board. I want to see if I can make a difference here."
Cannon worked with some legendary engineers in his past, including Lee Dykstra, Bruce Ashmore, and Tony Cicale, and he said: "You do pull bits out of every one of those interactions. I've been very fortunate to work with some of the best people in the industry."
In November, Foyt hired Craig Brooks as team manager, to oversee the squad’s operations in both Waller, TX, and Indianapolis, IN. Brooks worked as the technical director for the Indy Lights Series for the past 13 years and was a technical consultant for IMSA on a part-time basis since 2016.
Foyt also employed Chris "Beaker" Sheffer as the shop manager in Indianapolis. Sheffer brings a wealth of experience as he has worked in a variety of management and technical roles in the motorsports industry for the past two decades. Six more mechanics have also been hired for 2023.
Foyt declared: "We certainly have many new faces in the team this year, but I can say the feeling is very positive and everyone is pulling in the same direction. We know it will take some time to get where we want to be, but we are looking forward to the challenge and proving that we are heading in the right direction."
Ferrucci and rookie Pedersen will take part in the IndyCar open test in Thermal, Calif. on Feb 2-3, and will then run a private test in mid-February at Sebring.
