Cadillac Racing St Pete 2013

[Bruce Nunnally]

St. PETERSBURG, Fla., (March 24, 2013) - Johnny O'Connell and Andy Pilgrim drove their Cadillac CTS-V race cars to third and fifth-place  finishes in race two of the Pirelli World Challenge Championships Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this morning.      

O'Connell and Pilgrim improved one position each on the final standings from race one at St. Pete yesterday.  The "gift" was the result of the Porsche of Ryan Dalziel, yesterday's GT race winner, being disqualified in post-race inspection for the front splitter being out of compliance.  As a result O'Connell was granted third place and Pilgrim fourth. 

Based upon their fastest race laps from yesterday, O'Connell started today's round two of the double event weekend from fourth, with teammate Pilgrim starting directly behind him in sixth. Unlike the first race, the Pirelli World Challenge officials went back to the traditional standing start for this morning's race. 

With light precipitation in the air, the Cadillac CTS-V racers of O'Connell and Pilgrim jumped off of the starting grid and headed to Turn One.  O'Connell was able to put his CTS-V Coupe between the Corvette of Michael Skeen and the apex picking up a position in fifth with teammate Pilgrim following in behind.  As the race progressed the threat of rain went away and left the Pirelli World Challenge competitors to run the 50-minute event without a caution.  On lap 30, the front runners began to experience problems.  Early race leader Alex Figge, No. 9 Volvo, experienced engine problems and retired, he was soon followed in by second place runner Dalziel with a flat tire on his Porsche.  Keeping the pressure on, O'Connell was able to drive his No. 3 Cadillac Racing CTS-V Coupe to a podium paying position of third.  Pilgrim came to the checkered flag in fifth.    

 "I slid more than I thought at the start," O'Connell said.  "I ran fifth pretty much the entire race.  I ran clean.  Looking at the total weekend, I ran about as perfect as I could have yesterday and today.  I can honestly say that I got 110% out of the car.  Thanks to the misfortune of Dalziel yesterday, I finished third and two guys had trouble in front of me today, which put me on the podium again.  Team Cadillac puts great cars under us and we had a pretty good weekend."

Pilgrim experienced some handling issues in race two.

"There was a tiny bit of precipitation on the warm-up lap, but not enough to affect anyone," Pilgrim said.  "I was able to get a good start.  I got by Skeen's [Mike] Corvette at the start.  I knew I was going to be running with him again, like yesterday.  He was a little better around more of the track than I was today.  As long as I could lean on the brakes, I was alright.  We had a slight push in the car all weekend and we just couldn't quite figure it out.  About 15 laps into the race, the brake pedal began to get a little soft, so I had to back out of it."

Round two of the Pirelli World Challenge Championships Honda St. Peter Grand Prix was won by James Sofronas in an Audi R8.

The Pirelli World Challenge Series, race two, will run tomorrow, Sunday, at 10:25 a.m. The races from St. Pete will be televised on NBC Sports, Sunday, April 7 at 12:30 p.m., EDT. Live streaming can be viewed on race day at world-challengeTV.com.

Rounds three and four of the Pirelli World Challenge Series will be at the Long Beach Grand Prix presented by KIA, April 19-21.

[Bruce Nunnally]

St. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Team Cadillac's Johnny O'Connell and Andy Pilgrim finished round one of the Pirelli World Challenge Championships Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in fourth and fifth respectively this afternoon.

O'Connell and Pilgrim started the 50-minute race together on the third row of the Pirelli World Challenge GT grid based upon their fifth and sixth place qualifying times. For the first of two races this weekend, the series' officials decided to have the competitors come to the green flag using a rolling start. Tomorrow's round two will be a traditional standing start.

From the drop of the green flag the Cadillac CTS-V race cars of O'Connell and Pilgrim took up positions in fourth and seventh places. As is the nature of closed street course racing, the parade effect took over. On lap 11 O'Connell was passed going into Turn One, relegating him to fifth position. On lap 26, a full-course caution brought the field back together. On lap 30 the race restarted with a rejuvenated O'Connell and Pilgrim, each able to make up positions on the lap finishing the race in fourth and fifth place.

"The start was pretty clean," O'Connell said. "I was able to gain a position going into Turn One. The front cars seemed like they could get off of the turns a little better than we could. Early in the race they just inched, inched away and the next thing you know there's a gap. Then you add in the GTS traffic and you almost lose touch. I had the Audi behind me at the start. It was a matter of time before he was able to get by. On the restart, Randy [Pobst] in the Volvo bobbled in the kink and I was able to get a place back on him. I am pleased with the race. Team Cadillac gave Andy and me great race cars. We will be ready for round two tomorrow."

Pilgrim had a clean start and was able to make up two positions on the restart.

"Everyone really bunched up quickly on the start," said Pilgrim. "A lot the guys behind me didn't get up to the pack in the last turn. The traffic here is unbelievable with so many GTS cars. They are not that far off of us, speed wise, down the straight, but in the turns they are much slower. You have to be so patient with them. I don't think you'll see as much patience tomorrow. On the restart, I was able to make a couple of good moves and get some positions. I was able to get inside Skeen [Mike, No. 2 Corvette] in Turn Four and held the position. In Turn 10 Randy [Pobst] got balked a little and I banged in behind Johnny to make the pass. It was tight coming out of that turn, but I got by."

Round One of the Pirelli World Challenge Series from St. Petersburg was won by Ryan Daiziel in a Porsche 911 GT3.

The Pirelli World Challenge Series, race two, will run tomorrow, Sunday, at 10:25 a.m. The races from St. Pete will be televised on NBC Sports, Sunday, April 7 at 12:30 p.m., EDT. Live streaming can be viewed on race day at world-challengeTV.com.