Introducing: Cameron Cannon
Author: Andrew Campo	Introducing | Thursday, 29 May 2008 04:40

 Words and Photos: Brent Stallo 

Keeping an eye on new talent is part of our job description, and at the risk of sounding arrogant, we've become pretty good at it. After three years spent bouncing around the country, working various jobs in the publishing industry, I moved back to my home state of South Carolina a few short months ago to focus solely on Vurb. Upon my return I began hearing the name Cameron Cannon almost instantaneously. I continued to hear his name in conversation more and more as I began reuniting myself with practice and race tracks in the area and my interest began to mature.

As a young up and coming amateur rider there are numerous paths one can take to reach their goals. Different programs work for different riders. There are those that hire personal trainers, home-school and take an almost scientific approach to their amateur career. They are bread from the time they throw a leg over a bike to make it to the pro level. They diet, train and practice like pros and excel at a very young age. Then you have those that work off a totally different strategy. They keep a balance, ride and race within their region, attend choice nationals held in their respective area, and focus on Loretta's as their big shot to make a name for themselves each year. They ride just as hard, dream just as big, take the sport just as serious and have just as much potential; they just work off of a different game plan. Neither program is right or wrong. Different riders excel under different conditions. It's all about finding what works best for you and running with it.

We are honored to introduce to you Anderson, South Carolina's Cameron Cannon, a regional standout on the brink of becoming a huge national name. He has been making waves up and down the eastern seaboard over the past year and is ready to show what he can do at Loretta's this year.

 

Enter Cameron Cannon >>>

 

Tell me a bit about your national experience and where you guys are with your program?
I have been racing for three years now.  I mostly raced local tracks until about one yr ago.  I made it to Loretta Lynn's in 2007 on my Cobra 50cc by finishing 2nd overall at the SE regional qualifier.  I had bad luck at Loretta's and fell or was wrecked in every moto, which landed me finishing 24th overall.  I had fast lap times, just bad luck in finishing a moto there. We went to Mini O's for the first time this past November and I finished 10th overall in the mud fest down at Gatorback.

 

What is your main focus for 2008?
This year I am just really concentrating on making it to Loretta Lynn's for a second year and doing well.  I won three area qualifiers and came in 2nd at the ME area qualifier only because I had bike problems and had to race my practice bike.  This past weekend I competed in the NE regional qualifier and ended up 6th overall.  Good enough to get to Loretta Lynn's but not my best showing.

 

Family plays a huge roll in the success of most young athletes. They give up everything to follow the dreams of their children. Tell me a little bit about your mom and dad?  
My dad, Brooks Cannon, is the mechanic and my mom, Sheri, is my trainer and coach when I ride.  Both my parents knew nothing about dirt bikes when I decided I wanted a Honda 50 when I was 6 years old. 

 

You are a young rider with plenty of time to make a name for yourself. Elaborate on some short term and long term goals you have for yourself?
My short term goals are always focused on making it to Loretta's each year.  We would like to go to other national races as well but both of my parents work and only have a set amount of time off.  We plan on making it back to Mini O's again this year and have talked about trying to make it to Lake Whitney or another bigger national race in 2009.  School is also a problem. We have to get special permission from the school board for me to miss school for the qualifiers.

 

As far as long term goals, I want to take this sport as far as I can.  In other words, I want to turn pro when I turn 16.

 

You raced the Youth Regional in PA this weekend. Take me through the weekend?
After a long 11 hour trip to Pleasure Valley, we made it to the regional Thursday evening.  It had rained up there for 12 straight days so there was mud everywhere.  Practice was a bit hard because the track was too muddy in places and we didn't get to practice the whole track until my last practice session.  I was trying to qualify in both 65cc 7-9 stock and 65cc 9-11 mod classes.

 

My first moto Saturday morning was on my 65cc 7-9 stock bike.  I was in the second division and got a decent start.  I led the race for the first few laps until I got crossed up in the wood section, which was really rutted up and deep with mud.  I was then running a close 2nd when I fell in a turn on the last lap.  I ended up 3rd in that moto.  The last moto of the day was on my 65cc 9-11 mod bike.  A lot of fast riders in this class were at this regional.  I again fell in this moto and ended up 9th.

 

My 2nd and 3rd motos in both classes were both run on Sunday.  They kept disking the track after every few motos, which messed me up each race.  Just when you think you know what lines to take in some rough spots (i.e., woods section), they disc up the track and mess your lines up.  My 65 stock moto 2 was O.K.--I didn't get the best start and just couldn't get to the front few guys after that.  The 3rd moto was a little better--I was running 4th--but fell 200 yards from the finish line on the last lap and ended up 9th.  Not my best weekend of racing--I finished 6th overall.  Enough to get me to Loretta's but I didn't really show my racing ability.  I just needed to stay up on each moto.

 

A lot of riders get recognition simply because they are able to attend the majority of the amateur nationals, when the fact is there is a ton of regional talent that have what it takes to run the pace. This theory especially holds true in the younger age groups.  What are your goals heading into Loretta's and do you feel you can run up front with the fastest 65cc rider in the country?
Winning Loretta's!  I know that I have beaten some of the fastest riders at other races and I feel like I can ride up front with them. I want this bad enough that I am willing to train harder and all summer in the middle of the day to get used to the heat. I really want to be on the podium at Loretta's.

 

It is important to hold a balance when competing at such a serious level at a young age. What are your interests outside the sport?
I like to ride bikes, play with friends, work out and swim in the summer. I don't really do any other sports because I just want to ride my dirt bike.

 

Thanks for the sit down, Cameron. Good luck in your quest for a podium at Loretta's.
Thanks, I can't wait.