YOU CAN'T MAKE STUFF UP THIS GOOD: SCOTTY CANNON RACING WITH HIS HUSBAND-IN-LAW
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Cannon's 1993 International school bus is not your average public transportation vehicle.
"It’s got a 383 Stroker motor in it," Cannon boasts. "Everything’s new except for the shell."
And the always innovative Cannon isn't finished innovating beyond the television and sleeping quarters.
"It’s kind of a work in progress," Cannon explained. "But that’s my fishing bus. It was sitting there. And it’s got all the comforts of a big one. I put a bigger overdrive in it. Now I just take it to the races so I’ve got my own place to stay. It’s my technology work center. That’s my John Force private session center in there."
Hollywood's soap opera writers couldn't even come up a storyline to top this one.
Scotty Cannon and Alan Pittman are not only partners on a Radial vs. The World race car but also friends, and to their friends and family are husbands-in-law.
A story this juicy cannot be made up. It all begins in the mid-1990s when Cannon and his first wife Pam divorced, only for friend Pittman to end up marrying her. For almost two years, the two longtime drag racers never spoke.
Then they made amends, and within two years were in a chassis business together as Cannon went fuel Funny Car racing.
They are happy husbands-in-law.
"It's a we thing," Cannon said motioning to Pittman. "I think I just used the phrase one day, and it stuck like throwing mud up against a wall."
If it seems it might be difficult for them to share their personal lives, discussing their common denominator, think again.
"Easy," Cannon said with a sly smile. "Well it’s probably going to make her mad, but I really don’t care. It’s real easy. And it’s awful fun."
Pittman just smiles at the notion, which is equally as crazy as the two Pro Modified pioneers racing a doorslammer on a Drag Radial tire.
"I kind of knew we'd end up racing together one day because we were already in business together," Cannon said. "I never dreamed we’d be running on a bicycle tire with a big ol’ blower and bigger everything and it would run, and run just as fast as we’ve ever run. So half of it’s one way, and half’s the other way I guess."
Cannon, a seven-time Pro Modified championship driver and tuner, and Pittman, a past ADRL 10.5 series champion, are living out an odd twist of faith.
"These guys are going way faster than I ever thought they would on a radial tire for sure," Pittman admitted. "I don’t believe this is a radial tire like what we used to have either, though."
And neither is their racing partnership, a bonding of husbands-in-law.
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