Cadillac Motorsports, nearly a century of experience.

[Fit4aking]

Cadillac Motorsports

Cadillac’s racing history dates back to 1909 when Howard Covey won the first race held in the United States National Championship series in Portland, Ore. Some thirty years later, Cadillac introduced the first mass-produced overhead-valve V8. Rated at 160 horsepower, this 331-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) engine featured high compression, a short stroke and lightweight construction; racers quickly recognized the advantages of this Cadillac powerplant.

Famed Indy driver Paul Russo won the 1949 Milwaukee 100 stock car race in a Cadillac, and Red Byron finished third in the 1950 NASCAR Southern 500 in Darlington, S.C. Gober Sosebee took the pole position and finished second in a 100-mile NASCAR Grand National race on a half-mile dirt track in Columbus, Ga., in June 1951. In 1952, Buck Baker won a 250-mile race in NASCAR’s Speedway division in a Cadillac-powered Indy-style car, and Tom Deal’s Cadillac finished second in the Carrera Panamerica road race in Mexico. Cadillac powered Cunningham sports cars and made the English-built Allard J-2 the car to beat on road courses from Watkins Glen, N.Y., to Pebble Beach, Calif.

Most recently, a return to Le Mans with the Cadillac LMP program evoked a rich history at Le Sarthe for the American marque. In 1950, Briggs Cunningham, a well-heeled sportsman and racing enthusiast, led the way to the verdant Loire Valley southwest of Paris. Cunningham’s American-based team brashly entered a pair of Cadillacs in Europe’s classic road race. The first was a virtually stock Coupe de Ville and the second a stunning rebodied chassis that was affectionately named "Le Monstre" by the astonished French fans. Cunningham’s fresh-from-the-showroom Cadillac finished 10th; his aero-bodied creation posted a respectable 11th place finish in spite of an excursion into a gravel trap. A Cadillac-Allard J2 entry, driven by Tom Cole and Sydney H. Allard, finished third overall and first in the over 8000cc class. The Cadillac LMP program competed in the American Le Mans Series and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2000 – 2002 and claimed a number of podium finishes in highlighting the brand’s renaissance amongst the world’s best. The new Cadillac program in the SCCA Speed World Challenge GT championship will compete in 10 rounds in North America.

Here's a good link to the Cadillac CTS-V Speed GT car site.  This year marks the 2nd manufactureres champoinship in 3 years.  They've gotta be doing something right.  http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/spotlight/teamcadillac/index.jsp

[Fit4aking]

Following the brief history lesson will be my notes on the Cadillac models as I go through them.  I have a solid A-class CTS-V build and a puzzling CTS-V R-class car.  The most recent addition has been the R1 LMP Cadillac.  With 0 miles I have limited notes other than "its pretty"

Populate this thread with any questions, comments, concerns or pointers with your Caddy's, or mine.

[Drift2XL]

CTS it a good car. I haven't tried with upgrades yet. Got one set up just not run.
CTS-V R is great just watch the tire wear on long races
The LMP 01 is really good but you get crap starting positions. It is tough to pass R1 cars. One mistake and you lose 5-10 cars quickly. But thats with AI on hard.

All in all the Caddies can do pretty well in game.

[Spiny Anteater]

CTS it a good car. I haven't tried with upgrades yet. Got one set up just not run.

Got to agree with you on that. Even just built up to C550 you can give the Aston a run for it's money in the heavyweight Proving Grounds (and it starts at 549 so you can't so much at it). I bet it makes a damn good B Class.

Can't comment on the other 2 as I've just won the CTS race car and haven't got hold of the LMP yet.

[Fit4aking]

I've come to really like my CTS-V.  I think its the comfy seat.  I've tried a bunch of builds from the C6.R engined wide open build all the way back down to nearly stock to run the proving grounds.  Honestly I didn't give it a fair shake in B-class it's heavy and the trade off between grip, weight and power only left room for one of three to really make a difference.  A-class fits this car and me well.  It's light weight, has solid tires and a little room for power. 

All of my time in this cars has been focused on running Laguna Seca.  I recently whittled the tune down into the 89 second range.  Not the best in A-class but its leaps and bounds ahead of where I started with this thing.  I haven't given it a Blooze toon yet but I believe that the F-dog tune isn't right for this car in its current form. 

I'm limiting myself to a handful of cars in this garage and I intend to give each a solid going over.  The 4 TVR's, 3 Caddy's, and 3 Panoz models means that those 10 cars are gonna be my niche.  Along with the Muscle Inc and a few ALS cars I'm planning to set up those cars as my own project.  I like running them when Dirt or Hop open up the online rooms and I hope to suprise a few people with these things.  Heck, I was runnin down a few GT40's in my Sagaris just last night.  I was thrilled to see that the 450hp build was able to stay close on Sebring Short.  Soon enough I'll be bangin doors in a Caddy, with the notes to show how I got there.

Stay tuned........

[bimmerlovere39]

Check your PMs, fit

[Fit4aking]

Been runnin the R4 Professional Series in Career recently in the CTS-V.  If I can get a clean start and not get punted in the first turn I can generally run away from Archer and Galati.  Last night I was on Sebring Long and I have found that Archer is the master of bump-and-run.  Always on the hairpin of the first lap I'm ahead by 20 to 50 meters before the braking zone.  Each and every time, no matter what line I'm in (inside or out) Archer will bump into the back of my car and put me in the grass or the run-off pavement, then take off like nothing happened.  I tried stayin behind him and got plowed by Galati, taking both of us out.  Next restart I stayed behind both of them and they tangled with each other allowing me by only to have Galati cram me on the right hander after the esses.  I finished the first lap of each race to see what types of laps they are runnin and it varies from a 2:04:xxx up tp a 2:15:xxx.  And that's only the first lap.

The Caddy is faster than both cars (Viper/RS6) but each of those cars have an advantage under different circumstances.  The Viper has top speed and can catch up in the straights, allowing punting in the braking zone.  The Audi can rip off of a turn and has an uncanny ability to pull along side and squeeze me off into the marbles.  I'm really hating these kamikazi AI drivers.  Heck one start Phil McClure made a daring hard left right into my right quarterpanel before I even crossed the starting line.  I stopped and wanted to take a picture, no time on the lap counter and yellow body damage, brake and suspension damage on the rear and suspension damage on the front, insanity.

I'm really contemplating setting it down a notch and just chasing the clock.    

[Drift2XL]

I agree with you on the kamikaze AI drivers. 

But once you get out in first they usually can't keep up. Just watch out for those two turns on Sebring.

Unfortunately, all I have left in Career is the R class races. I am not looking forward to the R1's. The margin for error is small. One mistake and your back to third. And they brake check bigtime mid-turn, right at the apex. It drives me crazy. They are blocking almost the whole track and there is nothing you can do but run into them.

[Fit4aking]

I did finally finish the series but I only did one race per night to keep my stress down.  Suprisingly after Sebring was complete Suzuka and Laguna Seca were a breeze.  I was way faster to the first turn than the RS6 and far faster through the twisties than the Viper.  Not breaking for either of the kinks helped as well.  The damn AI brake for everything.  Laguna was a fluke but I'll take it.  The Audi was out front into the first turn and the Viper musta missed his braking point cause the took each other out.  I ran away from them and everyone else.  It was great seeing them spinnin in the dirt.

I even had an opportunity to use the V online around Road Atlanta.  There was a first turn incedent that made me slow down to avoid it and 1st ran away.  I was only 100 meters off the guy after 4 laps so I was makin ground, and I had the fastest lap, stupid wrecks.  I'm pleased overall with the car but the gearing is off.  Seems to fall a bit flat midway into 4th and never really picks up in 5th or 6th.  It still accelerates well but its not as it should be IMO.  I've put it on my R4 list.

[Open2nd]

Well, I don't really know how on topic this is, but I was disappointed to hear that there won't be a factory backed Cadillac team next year.  I was afraid that there would be no new CTS-V as well, considering that there won't be one for the '08 model, but it looks like it'll be back in '09 thankfully.

[bimmerlovere39]

Well, I don't really know how on topic this is, but I was disappointed to hear that there won't be a factory backed Cadillac team next year.  I was afraid that there would be no new CTS-V as well, considering that there won't be one for the '08 model, but it looks like it'll be back in '09 thankfully.

I think I've seen some rumors of possibilities of a new LMP or a XLR GT1 car.

[Blooze]

...I'm really hating these kamikazi AI drivers.  Heck one start Phil McClure made a daring hard left right into my right quarterpanel before I even crossed the starting line.  I stopped and wanted to take a picture, no time on the lap counter and yellow body damage, brake and suspension damage on the rear and suspension damage on the front, insanity.

I'm really contemplating setting it down a notch and just chasing the clock.    

LMAO - that getting my clock cleaned on the starting line was the last straw for me.  After that, I turned the AI down to Ameoba and added "Beat the Hard AI" to the Round Tuit list.

$

[Fit4aking]

Cadillac to release a new redesigned and very sexy CTS-V for 2009.

As the new CTS sport sedan earns accolades and new owners, Cadillac takes the next leap forward by premiering the 2009 CTS-V, the brand’s ultimate expression of performance and luxury.

Launching in the fourth quarter of 2008, the all-new CTS-V intends to combine the serious performance of an elite sports car with the poise and elegance of a prestigious luxury sedan. Part of Cadillac’s acclaimed V-Series of high-performance models, CTS-V delivers an estimated 550 horsepower (410 kW). More than just power, CTS-V also includes a comprehensive suite of technical and design enhancements, including Magnetic Ride Control, an industry-first Performance Traction Management program and the addition of a new automatic transmission with paddle-shift control.

As an all-new version of the CTS sport sedan was prepared for 2008, Cadillac engineers and designers began to scheme a new CTS-V that would reach much higher in terms of performance and luxury. Through the original CTS-V, Cadillac proved it could develop a very potent, high-performance sedan. The challenge for the 2009 model was enhancing every aspect in a comprehensive manner, along with reaching higher performance limits.

Several key technical and design elements combine to transform the already highly capable CTS into the new V-Series. Like the existing CTS, the V-Series is the product of an intensive development process across North America and Europe, including famed test tracks and millions of miles of road. Supporting Cadillac’s ongoing global expansion, the 2009 CTS-V is planned to be offered outside North America for the first time, including exports to Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

www.ultimatecarpage.com

[gs shyner]

I find that on hard AI,
1) if you can get about 130-150 meters (or is it feet) ahead that they calm down bit but if they get closer
then they're ready pounce with thier:
 a) amazing "burst o speed" to catch-up.
 b) amazing grip to pass on the inside or outside.

I make mistakes but sheesh.
I can get 30-60 meters on em on the esses at Silverstone GP but if they're close behind on the back stretch to the right hander, seems like no matter what line I take
(pref the inner so I don't get punted out) that Rossi or Jackson will inevitably pass on the outside.  And with their studded, grippy, vacuum tires, they're stuck to the tarmac
while I'm Brian Boitano'ing into the grass.

Frustrating at times but mostly fun!
G