Cadillac Racing and Johnny O’Connell swept both races in this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge double header at Sonoma Raceway.
O’Connell and teammate Michael Cooper qualified third and fourth for the first race weekend, respectively. O’Connell got a good star and almost immediately passed the second place starter, moving into second behind pole-sitter Austin Cindric in his McLaren 650S.
The Cadillac found it way around the McLaren on the last lap when O’Connell dove on the inside of Turn 7. Cooper also attempted a last-lap pass on Cindric to take second, but was unable to make the pass stick and settled for a 1-3 finish for the Cadillac camp.
O’Connell started from third again for Race 2 based on his fastest lap from Race 1, while Cooper started fifth. When the green flag dropped O’Connell got a good start and immediately passed two cars before Turn 1. Behind him multiple cars wrecked and got bottled up at Turn 1. Among them was Cooper, who hit the McLaren of Alvaro Parente and was forced to the pits for repairs. He was classified 21st.
The all-encompassing wreck essentially gifted the win to O’Connell. Cadillac’s strong Sonoma outing sets the General Motors team up well for the 2016 PWC season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in early October. Click here for full results from Race 1 at Sonoma and here for full results from Race 2.
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