Johnny O'Connell to drive for Cadillac at Road Atlanta

Le Mans Champion to Drive CTS-V at Road Atlanta
Team Cadillac, Johnny O, Head South for Some Home Cookin'

DETROIT - The General Motors' Cadillac CTS-V racing team will field a third car for Round 9 of the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT at Road Atlanta on September 24. GM Racing driver Johnny O'Connell, 2003 ALMS GTS Co-Champion, will drive the #12 CTS-V race car in the event, joining fellow racers Max Angelelli and Andy Pilgrim on Team Cadillac. O'Connell will compete in two races during the weekend as he will also continue his role with the Corvette Racing team.

"In Cadillac's quest to capture the Manufacturers' championship, we're thrilled to have one of the finest American road racers in Johnny O'Connell driving the CTS-V race car at Road Atlanta," said Jim Taylor, general manager of Cadillac. "With Road Atlanta being his home track, we expect he will give the team an edge over our competition. And we know a lot of Johnny O's Corvette fans will come out to support him and he'll turn them into Cadillac fans, too."

O'Connell recently had the opportunity to test the CTS-V race car with the team at Michigan's Gingerman Raceway. Although the tight, 1.9-mile circuit differs from the high-speeds of Road Atlanta, O'Connell enjoyed his seat time in the car. Factory Cadillac driver Andy Pilgrim was on hand to properly setup the #12 Cadillac and show O'Connell the ins and outs of the cockpit.

"Driving the Cadillac is a blast," said O'Connell. "I'm surprised at stopping power the car has, given that these aren't carbon fiber brakes. I'm here to help Cadillac get some additional manufacturer points and I hope to help Max and Andy as best I can."

In a career spanning more than 20 years of racing, O'Connell will add the Cadillac CTS-V to the myriad of high-powered racing cars already on his resume. Excelling in everything from Indy Cars to sports racing prototypes and, most recently, the GTS-spec Corvette C5-R in the American Le Mans Series, O'Connell has experience equal to that of three or four racers. The GM Racing driver has won four races to date in the ALMS and currently leads the Drivers' championship along with his teammate and recent Cadillac pilot Ron Fellows.

Team Cadillac has notched four podium finishes, including three pole positions and two victories, in eight rounds of racing in 2004. With two races remaining, the team is currently nine points behind first place in the Manufacturers' championship. Drivers Andy Pilgrim and Max Angelelli trail the lead in the Drivers' championship by 22 points and 42 points, respectively.

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