Team Cadillac ready for 2013 World Challenge Season

Team Cadillac is ready to carry forward its championship-winning effort from 2012 into the new season of the Pirelli World Challenge Series.

Johnny O'Connell, 2012 Pirelli World Challenge GT Driver's Champion, and Andy Pilgrim, runner-up in GT points, are poised to keep
the Cadillac CTS-V Coupes at the front of the World Challenge field in 2013.

Having won four races in 2012, the first at the season opening St. Petersburg Grand Prix, No. 2 in the streets of Long Beach and the double race win on the Belle Isle Circuit in Detroit, O'Connell enjoyed an off season filled with work and family.

"It was a long off season to say the least," said O'Connell. "We only did two days of testing, which were at Sears Point. It rained both days, but we were able to still achieve a lot. Other than that, I spent a lot of time in Phoenix as Vice-President of the Bondurant School and, of course, I enjoyed all the time I could with my kids."

O'Connell said he is looking forward to the two new circuits on the schedule.

"Of course everyone seems to love COTA (Circuit of the America's), and I'm hopeful that the circuit suits our CTS-V Coupes well. I've actually won in Houston when I was driving the Corvette in the ALMS (American Le Mans Series). So I'm looking forward to trying to achieve the same with the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe."

"When I look back at how we won the championship, it was never due to speed. We won it by being consistent and staying out of trouble. Between Andy and me, we only had one fast lap, which lead to us getting the pole at Detroit."

John Kraemer, V-Series Racing Marketing Manager, has the team focused on the track and another team just as committed on the activation side.

"We have the target firmly planted on our rear bumper heading into the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Series," Kraemer said. "The team at Pratt & Miller has worked all off season to keep the CTS-V Coupes at the front. We will have fresh competitors from Germany, but we are equal to the task of repeating. Off the track, Team Cadillac has developed a following based upon providing a great track experience."

The Pirelli World Challenge schedule will kick-off at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The race is run through the streets of downtown surrounding the marina and the Albert Whitted Airport. The first race of the World Challenge Series will be at 5:00 PM on Saturday, March 23, with the second round on Sunday at 10:25 AM.

Posted in: 2013 World Challenge Series,Andy Pilgrim,Belle Isle Circuit,Cadillac,CTS-V Coupes,International,John Kraemer,Johnny O'Connell,Motor Sports,St. Petersburg,Team Cadillac,V-Series Racing