SCOTT CANNON - NEXT GENERATION
Wed, 2007-05-30 11:40
Junior looks more and more like his dad every time
he cranks his 1968 Pontiac Firebird Pro Modified.
Junior looks more and more like his dad every time
he cranks his 1968 Pontiac Firebird Pro Modified.
Junior is the nickname Scott Cannon, Jr. answers to. However, these days he performs a great impersonation of Senior.
Case in point, refresh your memories to Saturday’s final Pro Modified session at the IHRA SKULL Shine Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Scott jumped from 11th place on the 16-car grid following Saturday's first session to the top spot for the second straight race. A dozen times in his career, Scotty went from outside the field to the top spot in the final session.
"We knew we were in, so we just went for No. 1," he said. "We're No. 1 in points and we were trying to get the Last Man Standing. I messed up on the light a little bit and lost that. I had to get the RPM exactly right, and I was more worried about making a good run than a light. It cost me the Last Man Standing. One thing worked out," he said with a shrug.
Scott has had to shoulder the responsibilities associated with the Pro Modified since Scotty took up driving Evan Knoll’s
Seelye-Wright Top Fuel dragster. He had to take over even more
when the elder Cannon went down with back surgery.
Headed into Tulsa, Scott found it difficult to focus on the racing aspect. The concerned son role took over.
Scott said he was concerned about his father's return to the cockpit of his Top Fuel dragster for the first time since undergoing the corrective back surgery.
"The first run, we were all a little shaky," the second-generation Pro Mod driver said, "but he made a run that didn't bother him any. We still worry about him." However, Scott Cannon said, "He's working on my car and running around better than he was before. He stays on us."
Adding to the complexity of increased duties and the anxiety of Scotty’s condition, Scott had to face a last-minute change in race-weekend personnel for his team.
"We were a little shorthanded last weekend on help. I wound up being the clutch guy," he said. "I went from being a motor guy and had to train somebody to do my job and then do the clutch work, too. I was kind of worried that I had it in there right. It seemed like I did."
With a 10-place improvement and a track-record elapsed time of 6.053, it definitely seemed like he did.
Cannon said he was a bit out of his comfort zone with the temporary assignment
-- and he's already particular about what hands touch his race car.
"I like the motor part. I build all our motors," Cannon said. "I'm pretty picky about who I let work on my car. I let 'em start on a little bit and when they work through that, then they get a major job." As far as being a taskmaster, he said, "I may be worse than my dad."
That's saying a lot for a 28-year-old -- especially one who looks so youthful he hardly seems 28. "I feel it," Cannon said. "I did on Saturday."
Scott’s scenario also strikes a similarity to Scotty’s sixteen years ago. Scotty assumed the point lead after winning his first career national event, the second race of the season.
Some drivers prefer not to be out in front in the points chase early, choosing instead a strategy of lurking in second or third and mounting an ambush. Not Scott Cannon.
"We've never been leading the points before. We're just trying to stay out there and let them chase us. We just try to run our own game and not worry about it," he said. Still, he said, "I'd rather be No. 1."
Junior is the nickname Scott Cannon, Jr. answers to. However, these days he performs a great impersonation of Senior.
Case in point, refresh your memories to Saturday’s final Pro Modified session at the IHRA SKULL Shine Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Scott jumped from 11th place on the 16-car grid following Saturday's first session to the top spot for the second straight race. A dozen times in his career, Scotty went from outside the field to the top spot in the final session.
Junior looks more and more like his dad every time
he cranks his 1968 Pontiac Firebird Pro Modified.
Junior is the nickname Scott Cannon, Jr. answers to. However, these days he performs a great impersonation of Senior.
Case in point, refresh your memories to Saturday’s final Pro Modified session at the IHRA SKULL Shine Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Scott jumped from 11th place on the 16-car grid following Saturday's first session to the top spot for the second straight race. A dozen times in his career, Scotty went from outside the field to the top spot in the final session.
"We knew we were in, so we just went for No. 1," he said. "We're No. 1 in points and we were trying to get the Last Man Standing. I messed up on the light a little bit and lost that. I had to get the RPM exactly right, and I was more worried about making a good run than a light. It cost me the Last Man Standing. One thing worked out," he said with a shrug.
Scott has had to shoulder the responsibilities associated with the Pro Modified since Scotty took up driving Evan Knoll’s
Seelye-Wright Top Fuel dragster. He had to take over even more
when the elder Cannon went down with back surgery. Headed into Tulsa, Scott found it difficult to focus on the racing aspect. The concerned son role took over.
Scott said he was concerned about his father's return to the cockpit of his Top Fuel dragster for the first time since undergoing the corrective back surgery.
"The first run, we were all a little shaky," the second-generation Pro Mod driver said, "but he made a run that didn't bother him any. We still worry about him." However, Scott Cannon said, "He's working on my car and running around better than he was before. He stays on us."
Adding to the complexity of increased duties and the anxiety of Scotty’s condition, Scott had to face a last-minute change in race-weekend personnel for his team.
"We were a little shorthanded last weekend on help. I wound up being the clutch guy," he said. "I went from being a motor guy and had to train somebody to do my job and then do the clutch work, too. I was kind of worried that I had it in there right. It seemed like I did."
With a 10-place improvement and a track-record elapsed time of 6.053, it definitely seemed like he did.
Cannon said he was a bit out of his comfort zone with the temporary assignment
-- and he's already particular about what hands touch his race car. "I like the motor part. I build all our motors," Cannon said. "I'm pretty picky about who I let work on my car. I let 'em start on a little bit and when they work through that, then they get a major job." As far as being a taskmaster, he said, "I may be worse than my dad."
That's saying a lot for a 28-year-old -- especially one who looks so youthful he hardly seems 28. "I feel it," Cannon said. "I did on Saturday."
Scott’s scenario also strikes a similarity to Scotty’s sixteen years ago. Scotty assumed the point lead after winning his first career national event, the second race of the season.
Some drivers prefer not to be out in front in the points chase early, choosing instead a strategy of lurking in second or third and mounting an ambush. Not Scott Cannon.
"We've never been leading the points before. We're just trying to stay out there and let them chase us. We just try to run our own game and not worry about it," he said. Still, he said, "I'd rather be No. 1."
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