CTS-V Challenge Lap Times

by Edward Niedermeyer

Published: October 29th, 2009

Via Cadillac’s Twitter Feed:

John Heinricy (Cadillac test driver)- Cadillac CTS-V: Top Lap: 2:46:560

Aaron Link (Cadillac development engineer)- Cadillac CTS-V: Top Lap: 2:48:902

Brian Redman- CTS-V: Top Lap: 2:49:596

Michael Cooper (Who is this guy?)- BMW M3: Top Lap: 2:50:424

Jack Baruth- Cadillac CTS-V (TTAC): Top Lap: 2:51:153

Lawrence Ulrich- CTS-V (New York Times): Top Lap: 2:53:157

Bob Lutz- Cadillac CTS-V (VP of Marketing, GM): Top Lap: 2:56:321

Michael Mainwald (carguydad.com)- BMW M5: Top Lap: 3:05:398

Wes Siler- Mitsubishi Evo X ( Jalopnik): Top Lap: 3:08:126

Chris Fairman- CTS-V: Top Lap: 3:14:292

Archan Basu- Jaguar XF: Top Lap: 3:15:670

Tom Loder- Audi RS4: Top Lap: 3:15:702

It’s official: TTAC’s top driver has beaten Bob Lutz! Check back tomorrow for Jack’s on-the-ground take on the weirdness that was.

#Cadillac #Challenge #Cts-v #GM #Jalopnik #Lutz #Monticello

Edward Niedermeyer

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4 of 96 comments

Mentir on Oct 30, 2009

@Steven02 "Also, this race was open to any manufacture to bring any driver they wanted to as well. Which is why more experienced drivers were out there." Steven, drivers were prohibited from participating if they were deemed "professional" drivers, so while any manufacturer could participate, they would have to cede control of their car to a journalist or Average Joe. Presumably, this is the real reason why Jaguar, MB, et al were reluctant to 'lend' their cars. Edited to add: Appears Pro drivers could participate, but would be competing against GM's pro drivers.

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Christy Garwood on Oct 30, 2009

@mentir From the CTS-V Challenge web site http://ctsvchallenge.com/about_the_challenge.php "Professional Challenge participants, if any, shall compete against a GM professional driver or appointed designee. " and "Challengers will be selected by GM in its sole discretion. " Should Baruth's and Cooper's times be compared to Heinricy's and Link's or to Lutz's?

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Mentir on Oct 30, 2009

@ChristyGarwood Thanks, I've edited my post, and was actually looking for the fine-print official rules yesterday.

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Wsn on Oct 30, 2009
Steven02 : October 30th, 2009 at 11:28 am For those guys who think Michael Cooper is the average joe, you are wrong. He has trained at, at least one, top notch racing school. Also, this race was open to any manufacture to bring any driver they wanted to as well. Which is why more experienced drivers were out there. This isn’t any more an excuse than… well if you don’t count those drivers. Seriously, the CTS-V won. It is a great car. So is the M3 and some of the other cars at the event. But the CTS-V won. --- Heinricy won "the best driver". CTS-V didn't win as the "fastest sedan". Cooper won "the beat Lutz invitation." No matter how much training Michael Cooper received, he is an amateur compared to Heinricy. And he beat Lutz, who is also well trained. Cooper has the advantage in reflex (due to being younger), but Lutz has his own advantages too. Such as: 1) He pick the type of car. (For instance, why not midsized stock cars? I.e. Malibu vs. Camry would reflect what GM car owners are really driving.) 2) He picked the course. 3) He has a logistic advantage. (Better training that's specific to the event, pick the right time, etc.) So, I would call it a wash in terms of advantages/disadvantages. And Cooper beat Lutz.

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