Cadillac Ends Decorated Pirelli World Challenge Racing Campaign

View Comments

• Cadillac never advertise their success on the track as motivation factor for consumers to buy as Cadillac kept their racing program almost as a secret, Cadillac never discussed their success in print or commercials; thus, it was almost a waste of time, money and effort especially as you never saw the integration of technology from lessons learned on the track.

• Well, that is disappointing and likely blow to Cadillac's brand promotion and enhancement, especially with the younger generations who focus their interest on performance vehicles.

  Performance still sells, just ask Audi, BMW, Mazda, MB/AMG, Subaru, Lexus, Infiniti, etc, and truck buyers.

  What does this mean for 'V' series vehicles.

• If the DTM, Super GT, and hopefully IMSA and V8 Supercar combined "Class One" ever gets off the ground and starts running across the US, Europe, and Asia then Cadillac would be an obvious choice to get back into the fold with the ATS-V. This would compliment the new prototype teams. The Pirelli team just didn't seem to have the marketing power to serve Cadillac to the fullest.

  • Yes the future rules and classes can alter plans.

    I would love to see IMSA get back to the MFG levels as they were in the 80’s that was the golden era of road racing.

    JDN has extensive Lemans and IMSA experience with Audi where they really became a force to deal with in motor sports even with a Diesel.

    I can see you actually know road racing as your comments show it. +1

• Well I can see by a couple comments that some of the critics may not have see a Pirelli World Cup race let alone attend one.

  I have been there and spent time around and with some of their team members.

  The team has done a very admirable job with the limited assets they have been able to work with.

  This effort was never secret and had been used in ads and marketing. They even have a well marked web site.

  The poblem is while this is a pro series the coverage is much like AA ball. No matter what you do the coverage is very limited to the hard core racers. I wager very few even realize that this series not only had exotic cars in it but a Bentley coupe that even had one win.

  It is sad the series is so unknown as it had very good racing in it.

  Now let’s get things in better perspective now.

  Cadillac is now racing their own prototype IMSA racers. This was the initial season with an old engine yet winning a championship.

  What is next? Look for them to add a Cadillac exclusive production based DHOC V8 to the prototype race cars. They will continue to compete in IMSA making the car bullit proof and then set their sites on Le Mans.

  Cadillac is doing this right for once and will compete in the two largest and best publicize road races in the world.

  Imagine what winning Daytona, Sebring and LeMans in one year with a car with a production based Cadillac engine.

  This series was just a prelude to the future. There are more we may see with the production based cars once they get their new models out. With the timing the present car is a lame Duck for next year so getting a new car ready next year may be more prudent.

  Again we need to look at this big picture now and not with short therm thinking.

  What they have done so far was not wasted and there is so much more to come.

  FYI I have three Cadillsc Racing shirts and one hat from Cadillsc as part of their marketing. I have spent a good amount of time talking with Johnny O Connell at the track talking about their racing. He spent about 40 mins with me and a buddy going over the car and their efforts. The one area Cadillac has let down is they should use Johnny in the advertising. His enthusiasm and winning is Tailor made for this effort along with Taylor racing.

• Cadillac just wants to more focus in IMSA because this series is going to more competition. Many automakers are interesting DPi which is base by LMP2 cars and extras automakers their own design . Acura with Penske will race next year, Nissan and Mazda are fire up to enhance their cars. However, it is sad to see Cadillac leaving PWC and end their GT3 cars, but good news is that GM now allows Callaway Corvette GT3R, which used to be banned by GM, can race in America. Of course, not just allow to race in PWC, It includes IMSA GTD.

• Companies don't advertise the drivers like they used to in the 70's, hence you go to event like PRI or SEMA and they have autograph sessions and nobody knows who they are. Randy Pobst is probably more known then any current driver that stands on any podium in the past 3 years, Because he is on a internet youtube show

  • It used to be teams paid a lot of money to well know drivers like Hans Stuck to drive their cars.

    Today with the cuts in racing sponsorships it has cut the amount they can spend on a driver. Many teams today look for young hungry talent that can still win races at half the price.

    Just look at all the new drivers in NASCAR and Indy and so many well known drivers retiring and just out of rides.

    Many have left as the risk is not worth the pay cut.

• Disappointing. PWC is a true racing series. Although I enjoyed going to see IMSA for free this year, they are owned by what I consider to be the devil in motorsports, The France family. And I won't support them.