There once was a time when Scotty Cannon ruled the Pro Modified division with an iron fist. He’s since found a new playground to bully.

The six-time Pro Modified champion from Lyman, South Carolina handily defeated Roy Hill in the final round of the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Inaugural War Stories Showdown.

The objective of this unique competition was for individual to tell a war story, gain more votes than their opponent in the balloting. A reader vote seeded the sixteen competitors participating and the standard NHRA ladder paired them. Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com attracted 58,962 readers for the duration of the event.

Inaugural WAR STORIES Showdown draws 58,962 readers to cyber-event

There once was a time when Scotty Cannon ruled the Pro Modified division with an iron fist. He’s since found a new playground to bully.

The six-time Pro Modified champion from Lyman, South Carolina handily defeated Roy Hill in the final round of the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Inaugural War Stories Showdown.

The objective of this unique competition was for individual to tell a war story, gain more votes than their opponent in the balloting. A reader vote seeded the sixteen competitors participating and the standard NHRA ladder paired them. Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com attracted 58,962 readers for the duration of the event.

Cannon, in the midst of the recent Torco Race Fuels sponsorship, almost considered not participating in the final round competition because as he put it, “It was just bad timing.”

Cannon decided to pull out a vintage story on Roy Hill, who told of an experience in NASCAR almost forty years ago, to seal the victory.

“I had an obligation to all of those that had voted for me and supported me through this,” Cannon said. “I wanted to establish a very positive situation in the midst of some tough circumstances. I love Roy to death
but this was a race I couldn’t lose. I want to thank the gang at Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com for giving me the chance to do this.

“Most of all, to all of our fans, thank you for not forgetting about me. Hopefully I made you proud.”

Cannon entered the competition as the fifth seeded story teller.

In the first round, Cannon defeated former teammate and rival Whit Bazemore and then made quick work of former Bill Jenkins Pro Stock driver Joe Lepone, Jr.

Cannon said he expected a tough challenge from his semi-final opponent Gary Scelzi, who after battling it out in a close race early on, pulled away in last day voting to claim victory.

“Did you read some of his stuff?” Cannon asked. “Man, he had some serious stuff and I really knew he was gunning for me. I’m just glad I didn’t get him in the first round.”

On the other side of the ladder, Hill entered the competition as the 11th qualifier and defeated Shirley Muldowney, “Animal” Jim Fuerer and Bob Glidden to advance to the final round.

The competition was fierce and tough as only three of the eight top-half competitors reached the second round. John Force (#1) and Don Prudhomme (#3) were eliminated in the first round.


ROUND-BY-ROUND ELIMINATIONS


*1ST ROUND*

#16 Aaron Polburn def. #1 John Force
#8 Gary Scelzi def. #9 Larry Morgan
#13 Joe Lepone, Jr. def. #4 Don Prudhomme
#5 Scotty Cannon def. #7 Whit Bazemore
#10 “Animal” Jim Fuerer def. #7 Pat Musi
#2 Bob Glidden def. #15 Steve Earwood
#14 Don Schumacher def. #3 Tom McEwen
#11 Roy Hill def. #6 Shirley Muldowney

*QUARTER-FINALS*

Scelzi def. Polburn
Cannon def. Lepone
Glidden def. Fuerer
Hill def. Schumacher

*SEMI-FINALS*

Cannon def. Scelzi
Hill def. Glidden

*FINALS*

Cannon def. Hill