Scotty Cannon’s Torco Pro Modified GTO to be rebuilt for Rockingham
LYMAN, SC - Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.
Those words were originally penned for the 1970’s ABC series Six Million Dollar Man where an astronaut was severely injured in a crash and rebuilt using state of the art nuclear limbs that helped him to not only return to an active life but with an advantage.
Chassis builder Jim Geese of Vanishing Point Race Cars, six-time IHRA Pro Modified champion Scotty Cannon and his son Scott, Jr. (who wasn’t old enough to remember the show) had that vision running through their heads on Saturday evening following qualifying at the IHRA AMALIE Oil Texas Nationals. The trio looked at the mangled Torco Pro Modified entry after the horrific crash during the final session.
“I was ready to bring out the old Studebaker,” Scotty said. ‘I thought it was our only option at that point.”
The damage was surveyed and in an instant Geese asked the question of Cannon, “Can you get this to my shop by Tuesday? If so, I think we can rebuild it in time for Rockingham.”
Cannon immediately walked over to the wounded GTO and began taking parts off. The crew followed suit and before one could gather what was going on, the car was being disassembled down to the salvageable parts. The truck rolled out on Sunday and made a beeline for Vanishing Point Race Cars.
The car was on the jig by Tuesday. A week later the vision of making laps in Rockingham became a bold reality.
“We have been non-stop and I can’t say enough about Jim and the gang,” Cannon said. “We brought our coach up here and we have camped out until we are done.”
For those wishing to plot the progress, a special blog is available at http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_04/bionic_blog.html
LYMAN, SC - Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.
