Cadillac Racing and drivers Johnny O’Connell and Michael Cooper are prepared for the start of the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Championship, which will be the second full season of racing for the Cadillac ATS-V.R racecar.
The team recently held a pre-season test at Circuit of the Americas, which was good for gathering data seeing as the season opener will be held at the 3.4-mile Austin, Texas track, O’Connell said.
“I think the test went well,” O’Connell added. “We logged a ton of laps and gained a fair amount of data. It was definitely good that we went there as the circuit is no longer billiard-table smooth like it used to be, so I’m sure we found some things that will help us for this weekend.”
O’Connell is returning as the reigning champion of the PWC’s GT class after clinching his fourth consecutive title in 2015, and is hoping to grab his fifth this season. Michael Cooper, who will replace Andy Pilgrim in the No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R this year, will join him in the fight in his first season in GT.
“The team, myself and everyone at Cadillac is focused on going for a fifth consecutive championship,” O’Connell said. “Cooper is looking forward to returning to COTA, this time in GT and a Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe.”
“I’m used to having consistent strong finishes and fighting for race wins over the course of the season,” Cooper added. “I expect no less from myself now that I am in the GT class. I am anxious to prove myself as a driver capable of competing among the best at this level of GT racing and of course helping Cadillac Racing win another manufacturers championship.”
You can watch Cadillac Racing fight for the win at COTA Sunday, March 13th at 10:30 P.M. on CBS Sports Network or through live stream World-ChallengeTV.com.
Comment
Can you imagine if Cadillac sold ATS-V with the option to look like the cars for the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge with wider fenders, full aero package and a big wing on back.