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Track to street technology is not a new concept in racing. In fact, Corvette Racing features many video episodes a year talking about the technology that was perfected on their race cars and has now transitioned to the street model. But the technology swap also goes the other way, as we found out from this week’s Drive Shakedown video. Host Leo Parente visited the Cadillac Racing Sports Car Club of America World Challenge race team at the Cadillac V-Series Challenge at Belle Isle last weekend to check out the cars and how technology of the street version of the CTS-V has made the Cadillac Racing cars even better for the 2012 race season. Check it out above.
The Cadillac Racing team competes in the production-based Pirelli World Challenge Series, allowing the team to use a car mostly based on the street version of the Cadillac CTS-V. The No. 8 and No. 3 cars are based so much on the street version, in fact, that nearly 80 percent of each car is comprised of the same components you see on the production model driving around town. From electronics, direct injection and thermal systems, to aerodynamic features, the wheelbase and even the grill openings are virtually the same on the Cadillac Racing cars as they are on the street cars.
Although the Cadillac Racing cars are 80 percent production based or production derived, they are far from street cars. Heavy anti roll bars, a massive rear spoiler and softer springs are just a few things that make these Cadillacs potent track competitors.
Obviously Cadillac Racing has done its homework over the last year of running the CTS-V and produced a set of race cars that’s not only competitive but very similar in nature to its production car. And they must have done it right because just last weekend the team finished first and fourth in the Cadillac V-Series at Belle Isle with driver Johnny O’Connell leading the drivers points for the year by a 128-point margin between him and the second place driver Andy Pilgrim who also races for Cadillac Racing.
Congratulations goes out to Cadillac Racing, and we can’t wait to see how the team does at their Bowmanville, Canada race at the Canadian Tire Raceway June 20th through the 22nd.
