Second race two top ten finishes
BOWMANVILLE, Ont., Canada -Cadillac Racing drivers Michael Cooper and Johnny O’Connell finished race two in eighth and tenth respectively at the Pirelli World Challenge GT Championship Victoria Day Speedfest to run at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (CTMP) this afternoon.
Cooper (Syosset, N.Y.) started race two from the tenth position. Teammate O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) took the start from 13th. With rain on part of the 2.4-mile, 10-turn circuit the race officially started under full course caution. The highlight of the weekend for Cadillac was that the Cadillac ATS-V Coupe Pace Car led two official laps before the green flag flew to start the real battle. On the first lap between turns two and three two cars got together bringing out a full course caution. As a result the two Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupes moved up two positions into the top ten. When the race returned to green Cooper and O’Connell could not make up any more positions due to a lack of series reduced horsepower.
“It was slippery at the beginning of the race,” said Cooper. “The two cars went off early, maybe if it didn’t go yellow we could have passed a couple of cars using the rain line. The good part is we have a car to run at Lime Rock at the test on Tuesday. Cadillac Racing gave it their all this weekend. We are just lacking straight line speed, so that makes it tough to compete.”
O’Connell is frustrated.
“It is pretty clear to everyone watching that we were taken out of this weekend,” said O’Connell. “We would just get motored down the straight away. It is frustrating for the whole team. We can’t pass anyone. I got passed by Andrew Davis in the Porsche, but he just drove by me down the straight. We haven’t forgotten how to drive and the team hasn’t forgotten how to prepare a race car. You go from where Michael and I were first and second row guys to being relegated to rows five and six.”
Reduction of turbo boost mandated by the series officials since the last round at Barber Motorsports Park has reduced the output of the Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe by nearly 30 horsepower.
The Pirelli World Challenge series moves immediately to Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut for rounds 10, 11 to run Memorial Day weekend, May 27-28.
After watching the Cadillac team test at Lime Rock, I would say that they are up to the challenge and looking to do better there.
This weekend’s races from CTMP will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network Sunday, May 29 at 12 p.m. ET.
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