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Cadillac Returns To Racing With CTS-V Coupe
Two teams set to compete in SCCA World Challenge GT Series
2010-12-13


Racecar based on award-winning CTS-V Series line
Program designed to validate, enhance Cadillac performance
Andy Pilgrim, Johnny O’Connell signed as Cadillac drivers
DETROIT – Cadillac announced today it will return to racing in 2011 with a race-prepared version of its CTS-V Coupe competing in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge, North America’s top production-based racecar series.

The move returns Cadillac to a series where it competed from 2004 to 2007. Competing in the GT Class with the CTS-V Sport Sedan, Cadillac captured the Manufacturer’s Championship in 2005 and 2007 and the Driver’s Championship in 2005.

Cadillac will field two teams in the upcoming SCCA World Challenge GT Class with a racecar based on the CTS-V Coupe. The CTS-V line, which also includes the CTS-V Sedan and CTS-V Wagon, was recently named to Car and Driver magazine’s 10 Best list for 2011.

“Returning to racing in the SCCA World Challenge is a great way to demonstrate the performance and capability of the CTS-V Coupe,” said Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing. “The racecars in this series are production based, which allows us to validate our performance against the best of our competitors on the track, and not just the showroom.”

Cadillac is working with Pratt & Miller, a New Hudson, Mich., engineering firm which specializes in motorsports, to develop the CTS-V Coupe racecar. While some of the production CTS-V components will be modified due to the unique demands of racing or to meet the SCCA series’ technical rules, every effort is taken to maintain as much production content as possible.

“The SCCA World Challenge lends itself well to a natural transfer of knowledge,” said Jim Campbell, GM vice president for Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The series will become a key test-bed for Cadillac. We anticipate using what we learn on the racetrack to ensure the V-Series stays on the cutting-edge of performance.”

The first event in the SCCA World Challenge is March 25-27 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Johnny O’Connell, a three-time GT1 champion in the America Le Mans Series, and Andy Pilgrim, who won the 2005 SCCA World Challenge GT class in a Cadillac, will be behind the wheel of the CTS-V racecars.

Introduced for the 2003 model year, the CTS-V has quickly earned a reputation among luxury sports car buyers. For the 2011 model year, Cadillac added the CTS-V Coupe and the CTS-V Sport Wagon to the CTS-V Sport Sedan, creating an impressive family of performance vehicles. The CTS-Vs feature Brembo brakes, a supercharged 6.2L V8 delivering 556 horsepower and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension system that can read and react to the road 1,000 times a second.

Started in 1944, the SCCA organizes and supports racing at all levels from amateur to professional. The World Challenge series is designed to provide teams, manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers a competitive production-based race series in which to prove their products. The races follow a 50-minute maximum time limit, with the number of laps and total distance determined by track configuration, lap times and race conditions.

About Cadillac

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology.

Everett Ogilvie

Awesome!

argonaut

Nice to hear, gotta like that GM is spending more $ on racing.

Does anyone know if the K-Pax Volvos will be back next year? That will make an interesting story line: GM going head-to-head with their 'unwanted' former subsidiary Volvo. Wittmer's Viper had a tough time against those 4-wheel drives, how are the Caddys going to fair? Should be exciting.

Painrace

Two GREAT drivers and all around good guys. This should be a lot of fun.

Jim

clubracer6

Wow, such cool news for a few reasons!

davidfarmer

I couldn't find a single race on TV this year....and my DVR has every keyword imaginable programmed in. Interesting to see if GM stays interested in WC as well as ALMS if the TV packages continue to diminish!

Are these the old cars they sold to the McCanns, or new ones????

gkmccready

What does this mean for Johnny & ALMS?

And, David, these are new cars:
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/13/c...h-cts-v-coupe/
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2010...ORTS/101219983

Bills Z06

WOW! I'm really glad to hear the news!

racerbob4

The new cars are the 2 door coupe model. I kind of feel like they are racing on taxpayer money or on the money I and others lost when the government forced GM to declare some new kind of bankrupsy. Its nice that they also have at least one American driving.

Jason

Hope they aren't the overdogs and drive the little guys out. Again.

Falcon

Hmmm....since they are racing on taxpayer money, shouldn't I be able to deduct all my racing expenses on my tax return?

Bill Dearborn

Not sure if it can be considered tax payer money but the government does own about 40% of the stock. The way we get the money back is for GM to provide a good return on the investment. Once that happens we can sell the stock, make a profit on the sale and return all of the the money to the treasury.

Bill

Poor-sha

grantar2

Volvo was owned by Ford, I think your thinking of SAAB.

joemoia

Rumor on other racing forums is that Tom Milner (ex-RLR BMW driver in 2010) will take over full time seat from JOC in 2011

dfinke23

How are they going to return the money stolen from the bondholders?

That is one good looking Cadillac.

joemoia

WC races were broadcast on Versus in 2010

Painrace

I hope Katech engines!!!???


Jim

davidfarmer

the clearly chopped about 4-6" out of this one just like the old CTSV in WC trim.....totally illegal by the rules, but I'm sure they are paying SCCA enough to overlook that!

I wonder if the transmission drags the ground in this one too...!

davidfarmer

not to continue beating a dead horse, but this is not "OEM profile body panels"