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Elkhart Lake, Wis., Cadillac V-Performance driver Johnny O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) drove the No. 3 Velocity Red Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe to a third place finish in race two of the World Challenge Championship (PWC) World Challenge Grand Prix of Road America today. Teammate Michael Cooper (Syosset, N.Y) drove his No. 8 Vector Blue Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe to a fifth place.
Based on lap times from yesterday’s race, O’Connell started third and Cooper lined-up next to him in fourth on the second row. On the first lap they were able to complete the circuit in the same positions in which they started. A full course caution flew for an incident in Turn 5. On the restart into Turn 5 Cooper was passed by the No. 31 Ferrari and another incident in the infamous Turn 5 caused a red flag stoppage to the race, just three laps into the scheduled 50-minute event. When the race restarted with less than 20 minutes allowed to race the Cadillac duo of O’Connell and Cooper finished in third and fifth respectively.
“It was a better result for us today,” O’Connell said. “Yesterday we had a good car, but for what happened in Turn 5 when I got turned. The guys, as they always do, improved on the car overnight. I was able to get a good start and held third. The Bentley and the Porsche were just a tick better than us this weekend. I needed Patrick Long in the Porsche and Adderly Fong in the Bentley to dice it up a little so I could get to them, but that didn’t happen. Heck, I am leaving Road America with a trophy, so hopefully our luck has turned.”
“It was a wild race,” Cooper said. “I thought we were looking good to be in contention with the front guys. Then the 31 Ferrari put a crazy move on me into Turn 5 and that is where I got stuck to the checker. I mounted a few attacks on him. Every time I did he was a bit reckless, so I thought it was a good idea to take the points and move onto Mid-Ohio.”
The Pirelli World Challenge Grand Prix of Road America race from today will be broadcast this afternoon at 3 p.m. ET on the CBS Sports Network. The series will travel to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, July 28-30 for another round of sprint events.
Article written by Kyle Chura
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