Cadillac Racing Sweeps World Challenge Weekend at Sonoma Raceway
Cooper double wins, O'Connell eighth
Sonoma, Calif., Cadillac V-Performance driver Michael Cooper (Syosset, N.Y) swept the weekend winning both races in the season finale of the Pirelli World Challenge Championship at Sonoma Raceway today. Johnny O'Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga) finished eighth.
Cooper celebrates second win at Sonoma.
Cooper started the season finale in his Vector Blue No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe on the front row in second based upon his fast lap from yesterday's race win. O'Connell took the green from ninth on the GT grid in the Crystal White No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe. At the drop of the green Cooper was once again able to put the Cadillac LF4.R engines power to the ground and drive his Cadillac up the outside and into Turn 2 leading the GT field. Soon after a full course flew. The driver from New York had to hold off the charging Patrick Long in the No. 58 Porsche on the restart. Once again he was able to control the field on the restart and go on to win his second race of the weekend.
"I had another good start today," Cooper said. "I got on the outside of Patrick and had a clear run into Turn 1. I could see he also had a good run so I rolled it hard into Turn 2 to make sure I didn't get tagged. I had a good restart and he put a lot of pressure on me the next 10 laps. I was just doing qualifying laps to keep him back. He tried a move into Turn 7 and that didn't work out so I think he held back to take care of his car. I pushed 100% the whole race. A great way to close the season out for Cadillac."
O'Connell got slightly balked coming to the green at the start that affected his run up into Turn 2 in the backup Crystal White No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe. He was able to improve a position to eighth which is where he crossed the line at the checker.
"Congrats to Michael on two wins this weekend," O'Connell said. "Had I not wrecked on Friday I know we'd have had two Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupes at the front this weekend."
In the final season standings Michael Cooper and Jordan Taylor are series SprintX champions. Cooper finished third in the Sprint GT standings with O'Connell coming in sixth. O'Connell and Ricky Taylor finished fifth in SprintX points. Cadillac was second in the manufacturer standings. In the combined championships of Sprint and SprintX Cooper was second and O'Connell was sixth. Cooper logged two sprint wins at Sonoma Raceway, he and Jordan Taylor also won a SprintX race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to highlight the season for Cadillac.
Cadillac Racing PWC 2017 Results
Track Drivers Start Finish Points
St. Petersburg Johnny O'Connell
Michael Cooper 7
6
10
9 4
2
7
5 42 (3)
31 (5)
Long Beach Johnny O'Connell
Michael Cooper 12
9 20
14 43(5)
38 (
Virginia International Raceway
SprintX Johnny O'Connell/Ricky Taylor
Michael Cooper/Jordan Taylor 11
12
7
4 6
12
3
3 9(22)X
3(40)X
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park SprintX Johnny O'Connell/Ricky Taylor
Michael Cooper/Jordan Taylor 4
4
12
5 3
5
1
4 43(4)X
65(1)X
Lime Rock Park SprintX Johnny O'Connell/Ricky Taylor
Michael Cooper/Jordan Taylor 8
9
5
4 11
7
4
2 101 (8)X
145 (1)X
Road America Johnny O'Connell
Michael Cooper 2
3
6
4 8
3
3
5 135 (5)
183 (1)
Mid-Ohio Johnny O'Connell
Michael Cooper 3
6
2
7 3
11
2
7 166 (5)
220 (2)
Utah Motorsports Campus Johnny O'Connell/Ricky Taylor
Michael Cooper/Jordan Taylor 5
4
9
8 4
5
8
3 94 (
141 (1)
Circuit of the Americas Johnny O'Connell/Ricky Taylor
Michael Cooper/Jordan Taylor 1
6
3
9 2
7
6
DNF 149 (5)X
*175 (1)X
Sonoma Raceway Johnny O'Connell
Michael Cooper 12
9
2
2 18
8
1
1
*Cooper and Jordan Taylor PWC SprintX GT Pro/Pro Champions
Cadillac Racing, since the team's inception in 2004, has amassed 33 wins, 121 podium finishes (including wins) and 25 pole positions. The team won the World Challenge Manufacturer Championship in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Team Cadillac drivers have won the World Challenge Driver's Championship in 2005 with Andy Pilgrim and in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 with Johnny O'Connell.
Additional information can be viewed at Cadillac.com, GM.com, media.gm.com, world-challenge.com, johnnyoconnell.com; Twitter @MSCooper1, @JohnnyOConnell, @Jordan10Tyalor, @RickyTaylor_10, @Cadillac; Facebook, GM, Michael Cooper, Johnny O'Connell, Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Cadillac.
Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. Today Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio featuring distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at
www.cadillac.com. Cadillac's media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.
The Cadillac Racing media guide can be viewed at media.cadillac.com. For additional information please contact Kyle Chura, kyle@kcapr.com or (248) 821-0468.
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