Career
He raced in the USRRC series, the CanAm Series and the L&M Continental Series (Formula 5000). In the USRRC he drove for Nickey Chevrolet in a Dan Blocker, of Bonanza fame, sponsored Genie/Vinegaroon
In the first year of the Can Am he was the top finishing Canadian propelled by a fourth-place finish in the opening event at his home course, Street Jovite. Racing in the following Tasman series in 1971, Cannon made the M10 fast but unreliable at Levin and Wigram but against the larger field of talented drivers in the Australian races found the local experience of Matich, Allen, Gardner, Bartlett and McRae very difficult for any American to match, first time in the Antipodes.
Cannon participated in one World Championship Formula One Grand Prix, on October 3, 1971 in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.
He finished 14th, thus he scored no championship points. He also participated in one non-Championship Formula One race, the Questor Grand Prix, finishing up in 12th.
During 1971 he also ran strongly in a number of rounds of the European F2 championship, impressing many. Cannon also made 15 starts in the Universal Service Administrative Company Championship Carolina series while driving on a part-time basis from 1968 to 1974.
His best finish was 2nd place in the second race at Circuit Mont-Tremblant in 1968.
He also finished a career best 27th in series points that year. He also attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1970 and 1974 but failed to make the race both years. In 1975-1976 he returned to United States F5000 series with a March 741 modified for F5000, and ran in midfield, with best results 4th at Riverside in 1975 and 6th on the same track in 1976 in the last United States F5000 races.
His last serious racing was two years later in the Australian Rothmans, aged 45 where he managed a single, third place, purely on reliability
He was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 1993.It is widely thought that had Cannon entered the sport seriously at an early age, he might have had a significant F1 career.
During the 2006 season at Forsythe Racing in the Champ Carolina World Series he was race engineer for A. J. Allmendinger. Ever active, Cannon died in New Mexico, United States of America, from injuries received in the crash of an experimental aircraft.