Cadillac Racing drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim will start the Pirelli World Challenge Long Beach Grand Prix Sunday afternoon from the second and fourth rows.
O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) and Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) are running the all-new Cadillac ATS-V.R in just the cars fifth event. Long Beach, the second street race on the World Challenge schedule, is a circuit that both drivers and the team have logged many miles on, but not with the ATS-V.R. O’Connell posted the fast lap of Friday’s single practice session with a time of 1:20.294. O’Connell was able to run a qualifying time of 1:19.738 good for a fourth place starting position. Pilgrim turned a time of 1:20.192 that will have him starting in eighth.
“Practice on Friday went a little better than expected,” O’Connell said. “I have a lot of miles around Long Beach and that experience pays dividends with a new car. Although we don’t get much track time, that is when the experience factor comes into play. In qualifying I turned a good lap. We kind of thought that pole would be a low 19 and it was for Berretta in his Ferrari. Strategy for the race, get a good start and lead every lap!”
Pilgrim had a slight push condition in his No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R.
“I am happy in general with the car,” Pilgrim said. “We made some big changes for qualifying. We went the right way, but I think for the race we need to go a little further. I have some slight understeer in the car, which affects my entry. When you attack theses corners and you don’t know where the front is going it makes me a fraction slower. I like the ATS-V.R a little loose, so I can catch it with the throttle. We will make the changes and try them in the warm-up tomorrow morning. I am happy with a top ten qualifying run, which is important on a street course.”
The Pirelli World Challenge Series Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race will take the standing start on Sunday, April 19 at 4:30 p.m. PT. The Long Beach race will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network Sunday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET.