NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series

Scotty Cannon
Oakley, Inc.

"I'm fortunate that I can do what I want to do."

Questions and story by Dwight Drum
Photos by Gary Larsen and Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

Scotty Cannon doesn't have to win to draw a crowd. Very few motorsports drivers can claim that phenomenon. So what is the secret to Cannon's aura? I'm not sure anyone knows and I don't think Cannon knows either. What fans can know about his personality is best viewed when Cannon answers questions.

We must admit as a motor sports media company Gary Larsen and I have tried for many races over a few years to talk to Cannon. That scenario never worked out until recently. After conducting this interview with Scotty Cannon we agreed that he should never be evasive to media focus, ours or any other. We believe he has much to say and says it well and that Cannon has an "aura" because he has earned it.

"I miss hanging out with all of the guys and the people. You get so burned out sometimes when you're here, but when you get home you can't wait to get back. I just like hanging out with my guys and all of the fans and to be able to do this for a living."

"I'm not so sure I am one yet! That's because I do it for a living. I guess when I was 23 or 24 years old I had it in my mind that's what I wanted to do for a living."

"I guess that some of the better race car drivers that I talk to would say fill it in by the seat of your butt. Do whatever your instincts tell you. It's all what you actually do in reaction of a car because if you think about it...you're too late."

"The win...just being at home playing pool with my son or playing golf with him or out here racing John Force...I just want to win!"

"I don't think it can be taught. I think you either have it or you don't have it or you desire it or you don't desire it. It's how you go about trying to get there, probably a bunch of different ways. You either have it or you don't."

"I would like them to know that I'm fortunate to be able to drag race, to do this for a living and do what I want to do and still have a job. It supports me and the lifestyle of my family. Unfortunately some people have to go to work everyday and don't really want to go to the job and do what they do. I feel fortunate that I've been dealt the card that I can do what I want to do and it's not really a job to me."

Yeah, at different times and different ways but the big light opened up for me when I won my first race. If that didn't happen to me, then I probably wouldn't be here after five years."

"I guess the guys that can put up with all of the peer pressure, and the guys that can't, because a good driver when you have to run the track it becomes second nature. Some of the hardest times are putting up with the pressure outside of the race car and sometimes that makes a good driver a bad driver. If you let the outside pressure get to you, I think it takes away how you drive the automobile."

"I appreciate all of the fans sticking with me after so many years. It's been five years since I've won all the races and the championship in the IHRA. It's just amazing to me that I see cars that have won a lot of races and they have three people standing at the back of their trailer and I can go back there and it seems I can have as many as I want as long as I sign autographs. That's still an honor, because everybody is still hanging there with me."

"I was one of the grandfathers of Pro Mod cars and all of us started from the ground-floor up."