Update January 26th 2020-Cadillac Wins Fourth Straight Rolex 24 At Daytona - Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R wins third  Daytona events

At the drop of the green flag at 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, the pace of the 58th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona was torrid. The teams had to focus on adjusting the Cadillac DPi-V.R to changing weather conditions of 70ºF on Saturday to low 40s through the night. There was a stint of seven hours and forty-minutes of green flag running through the night.

The Konica Minolta Cadillac team had all of the right adjustments as night fell and they took the overall lead. Drivers Renger Van Der Zande, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon and Kamui Kobayashi drove fast laps, with Ryan Briscoe setting overall fast race lap (1:34.652) of the event during his Sunday morning stint.

With a comfortable lead, Van Der Zande handed the wheel of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R over to Briscoe just before 8 a.m. Soon into his stint, Briscoe had the car shut off on course. He was able to recycle the ignition and continue as he drove through the pits. He returned to pitlane and the crew fixed the issue. However, upon exiting, he did not see the red light at pit exit and blew through it resulting in a stop plus 60-second penalty sending them down the order to fourth and costing them a lap.

This temporary issue gave the overall lead to the Mustang Sampling Cadillac team. Drivers Joao Barbosa, Sebastian Bourdais and Loic Duval kept the black and gold Cadillac on the lead lap all race, but not able to match the nighttime pace of the Konica Minolta Cadillac. The consistent driving and team performance had them in a position to capitalize on the penalty to the No. 10.

The Wayne Taylor led Konica Minolta Cadillac team used strategy and strong pit work to get the car ahead of the Mustang Sampling Cadillac on pit road to take back the lead back with four hours to go. Briscoe handed the car to Kobayashi, who had the honor of doing the final stint in the black Cadillac to the finish. For Wayne Taylor Racing, it is their third win in the IMSA DPi era, 2017, 2019, and 2020, and his fifth as a combination car owner and driver.

source Cadillac Media Archives

wallpaper for Cadillac Wins Fourth Straight Rolex 24 At Daytona (click on image to enlarge)

Daytona January 27th 2019- Cadillac has won the 57th running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. The Konica Minolta Cadillac team soldiered through 24 hours of start-and-stop racing to give the Cadillac brand a Rolex 24 hat trick with their third win in as many years.

• Wayne Taylor led Konica Minolta Cadillac team wins second Rolex 24 with Cadillac.
• Whelen Engineering Cadillac second, last year’s prototype champions.
• Hat trick for Cadillac, third Rolex 24 Hour victory in a row.
• JDC/Miller Motorsports and Juncos Racing, new to Cadillac, have quality starts.
• Rain played a major role in the race.

At the start of the twice-around-the-clock classic at Daytona International Speedway, the six Cadillac DPi-V.R teams had their individual challenges throughout the event. Cool temperatures during the day Saturday and into the evening turned to rain at 5:30 a.m. The rain ignited the two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso behind the wheel of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac as he passed the two Acura prototypes ahead of him to take the lead some 35-minutes later. Soon after, IMSA WeatherTech Championship officials flew the red flag. The race was stopped for 1:45. When the race restarted, the Wayne Taylor led Cadillac team kept the lead after Alonso turned the controls over to Jordan Taylor.

With three hours remaining, it was Jordan Taylor versus Felipe Nasr driving the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R. The duo drove their V-Performance powered prototypes head-to-head in rainy conditions to the delight of the large but damp crowd at Daytona. Soon after Taylor handed the car back to Alonso, the race was red flagged and stopped again at 12:40 p.m. At 2:26 p.m. IMSA waved the checkered flag as the field was parked under a red flag to end the race.

The win by the Konica Minolta Cadillac team is the brand’s third in as many years. The Taylor led team won in 2017, the first year of the IMSA DPi cars. Then, Mustang Sampling Cadillac took the win last year.

Fernando Alonso, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R, winner:
“I am very proud if the job we achieve today. It was not a one day job it was a one month job. Receiving the documents about how the car works and how the team works. We had a quick lesson at the Roar and had a good test. We were racing in cooler temperatures that we run so far. We had a plan to execute the race and followed it step-by-step. We made some changes to conditions, but there was a plan for that too. I’ve won races around the world, to add one here in America is great. I am proud of the team. I want to thank Wayne Taylor Racing, Konica Minolta and Cadillac.”

Jordan Taylor, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R, winner:
“All four drivers did great in their own right. We all drove the Cadillac to the lead. We had the right game plan, no car damage and no one went off of the track. That is how you win these races. The team had a great strategy and did a great job to adjust things when the rain came. We actually had a low downforce setup that we kept on the car during the rain. That helped us to pass some cars in the rain.”

Renger Van Der Zande, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R, winner:
“The win is a milestone for me. I’ve won at Nurburgring and Spa, this is an overall victory. Also racing with an iconic team and teammates. I am very proud. I came from having no drive in 2012 to winning the Rolex 24 in 2019.
Kamui Kobayashi, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R, winner:
“Thank you to Wayne and the team and to Cadillac and Konica Minolta. The race was very difficult with the rain and the red flags. We also spent a lot of time behind the safety car. The team did a great job and the Cadillac ran great all race.”

Wayne Taylor, team owner, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R, winner:
“A year ago, when I met Fernando and we chatted, there was a connection. I thought that in 2019 we needed the best of the best drivers. There are drivers that pop in and out of endurance racing, IndyCar and F1 drivers. Fernando won at Le Mans and we also looked at Kamui. I phoned Kamui at 3 a.m. in the morning. I put the phone down and he called me back. So, within a week we had a deal to run the 24. Renger did a great job helping us win at Petit Le Mans last year. I was a little nervous with Jordan, but he did a great job. Fernando’s first split on the first turn was as fast as everyone else in the Roar so I knew we had a strong team. He was great with everyone, the fans, our sponsor Konica Minolta, and the team.”

Mark Reuss, President, General Motors Company:
“What a performance by Wayne Taylor Racing to win the 2019 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.  Congratulations to Jordan, Renger, Fernando, and Kamui on their performance behind the wheel of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R as they battled intense competition and weather. Wayne and the engineers called an excellent race and the crew executed with consistency. The Cadillac teams and our race engineers and Propulsion engineers collaborated to give us a great start to the 2019 IMSA Prototype season.” Reuss added, “I am very happy for Wayne Taylor and the team for their continued success at Daytona.”

Steve Carlisle, Senior Vice President and President, Cadillac:
“Wow, a Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona hat trick! Wayne Taylor and his Konica Minolta team had the complete package on the track and on pit lane to put together a complete day of racing in the Cadillac DPi-V.R. Drivers Jordan, Renger, Fernando, and Kamui set the pace and never really put a wheel wrong all race in treacherous conditions. To win this event three times is a testament to the speed and reliability of Cadillac V-Performance power. Hats off to our development team internally at Cadillac, to Wayne, as well as our GM Propulsion engine team.”

source GM-Cadillac Media Archives

wallpaper Cadillac DPi overall win at 2019 Rolex Daytona 24 Hours (click on image to enlarge

Cadillac capped off a successful IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season by taking all of the IMSA DPi Class championships on offer for 2018.

2018 Cadillac Season Ending Honors:

• Cadillac wins IMSA Prototype Manufacturer Championship
• Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win IMSA Prototype Drivers' Championship
• Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins the IMSA Prototype Team Championship
• Cadillac wins Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC) Manufacturer Championship
• Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win TPNAEC Drivers' Championship
• Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins TPNAEC team championship

Highlighting the 2018 season was four wins spread across three teams. The Mustang Sampling Cadillac team opened the season by winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona. They followed up with a victory on the streets of Long Beach. The Whelen Engineering Cadillac took the top spot on the streets of Belle Isle in the Detroit Grand Prix and celebrated with a swim in Scott Fountain. The Konica Minolta Cadillac team won a thrilling Petit Le Mans to cap the season for Cadillac with a last-turn pass to take the top step of the podium.

Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran, Felipe Nasr with help from Gabby Chaves and Mike Conway in the longer races propelled the Action Express team to win the IMSA Prototype Team and Driver's Championships as well as the team and driver TPNAEC championships

The Cadillac DPi-V.R teams won every title in the inaugural season of the IMSA DPi formula including: Cadillac wins DPi manufacturer championship; Cadillac wins TPNAEC (Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup) manufacturer title; Jordan and Ricky Taylor 2017 IMSA WeatherTech DPi driver champions; Konica Minolta Cadillac team champions; Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque won the TPNAEC DPi driver championship; Mustang Sampling Cadillac won the TPNAEC DPi team championship; Whelen Engineering drivers Dane Cameron and Eric Curran finish second in the driver’s championship; Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi finish third in the driver’s championship; Cadillac teams combine to win seven races in 2017: Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Long Beach, Circuit of the Americas, Detroit, Watkins Glen, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In 2018 the Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R won the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona; Cadillac won the IMSA Prototype Manufacturer Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win IMSA Prototype Drivers’ Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins the IMSA Prototype Team Championship; Cadillac wins Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC) Manufacturer Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win TPNAEC Drivers’ Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins TPNAEC team championship.

Cadillac Wins IMSA Manufacturer Championships, Konica Minolta Wins DPi Driver and Team Championship, Mustang Sampling Wins Endurance Titles

Braselton, Ga., Cadillac V-Performance racing team Konica Minolta Cadillac retired from today's IMSA WeatherTech Championship Motul Petit Le Mans just over two-hours in, but accumulated enough run time to win the DPi drivers and team championships for 2017. The Mustang Sampling Cadillac closed the year as the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC) champions and Cadillac was crowned manufacturer champ.
Cadillac season ending honors:

• Cadillac wins DPi manufacturer championship
• Cadillac wins TPNAEC manufacturer title
• Ricky and Jordan Taylor 2017 IMSA WeatherTech DPi driver champions
• Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi team champions
• Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque win the TPNAEC DPi driver championship
• Mustang Sampling Cadillac wins the TPNAEC DPi team championship
• Whelen Engineering drivers Dane Cameron and Eric Curran finish second in the driver's championship
• Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi finish third in the driver's championship
• Cadillac teams combine to win seven races in 2017: Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Long Beach, Circuit of the Americas, Detroit, Watkins Glen, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac team with drivers Ricky and Jordan Taylor, with help in the long races from Max Angelelli, Jeff Gordon, Alex Lynn and Ryan Hunter-Reay, were able to capitalize on their five-win season for the team and driver crowns.

"We are happy to win the championship," Ricky Taylor said.  "The team and car have run flawlessly all year. It's too bad to have an issue at Petit when we were fighting for the TPNAEC title. It was a crazy start to the race with the wet and then going dry. It was a lot of work at the start. The team did a great job all year, everyone at Cadillac, Dallara and our sponsors at Konica Minolta all have a hand this championship. The five wins to start the season was great and especially winning the Rolex 24 and Sebring - the stuff all drivers dream about. To win it with my dad, Jordan and Max, who is also family, is really a dream season."

"Being with Ricky the past four years, we have been close to winning the championship," Jordan Taylor said. "It means a lot to win it with family and Max is like family, as well. We started the year strong with five straight wins. Add the victories at Daytona and Sebring, Ricky had all of those poles, and we won Long Beach, too. Winning at Detroit is great, as well. We are a family team. The crew is very close. We were the first ones to work with the Cadillac this year. For us to win the championship with Cadillac, the ECR guys and Dallara in the first year of the DPi prototypes is special. For us to win the championship, it means a lot to everyone who developed the car, as well as our sponsor Konica Minolta."

"We are really happy to win the drivers and team championship, as well as helping to secure the manufacturer championship for Cadillac," Wayne Taylor said. "We had finished every single race this year. I am not really sure what happened today. We lost drive to the car and we had to withdraw from the race. That doesn't take away from what we accomplished this year with five straight wins and taking the big ones at Daytona and Sebring. Winning in Detroit for Cadillac is always special, as is winning on the streets of Long Beach for Konica Minolta. A great accomplishment by the team, everyone at Cadillac, Dallara, ECR Engines and, of course, our sponsor Konica Minolta."  
"We had a good race going," Ryan Hunter-Reay said. "We were focused on the Endurance Cup. I took over the car from Ricky. I was getting heat in the tires and then, on the backstraight, we all of a sudden lost drive to the rear wheels. It is amazing what the team has accomplished this year with the five wins. I joined them a little too late, but a great season for them and congratulations to everyone on the championship."
"Winning the IMSA regular season DPi drivers, team and manufacturer titles along with the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance driver and manufacturer championships reinforces the spirit of winning that is pervasive throughout Cadillac," said Rich Brekus, Global Director of Product Strategy for Cadillac. "It starts with our single-minded engineering group that develops award-winning road cars that are built by a quality driven manufacturing team, these accomplishments are a testament to what performance focus can achieve. Having strong team partners like Konica Minolta that won the drivers and team championships and put the car in the winner's circle five times this year is impressive. The points earned toward the manufacturer title by the Mustang Sampling team, who were crowned Tequila Patrón North American Endurance champs today, and the Whelen Engineering group who had a great win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park makes it a total team effort toward an incredible year of accomplishments."  

Cadillac DPi-V.R 2017 IMSA WeatherThech Dpi Winners : Wallpapers

Cadillac DPi-V.R 2017 Results

Cadillac DPi-V.R. win 1st 2nd 6th at 2017 IMSA Daytona 24 Hours

Twenty-four hours of racing came down to ten minutes for the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R of Wayne Taylor Racing. Ricky Taylor made a move with just three laps of racing remaining to “finish the business” that his father started with Cadillac back in 2000 as the team won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 55th running of the Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona today.
◾First win in the top rung of professional sports car racing for Cadillac
◾First win for the all-new Cadillac DPi-V.R prototype
◾Wayne Taylor finishes the business
◾A 15th win at Daytona for Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR Champion (fourth to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24 hour; first NASCAR Champion to win 24 H Daytona

The Cadillac DPi-V.R prototypes were at the top of the timing sheet all through free practice on Thursday. Later that afternoon Joao Barbosa put the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R on the overall race pole, a first for Cadillac in top-level sports car racing and the first for IMSA’s new-era of prototype race cars.

At the 2:30 p.m. ET start yesterday, the Cadillac prototypes were a fixture at the front of the field. The Cadillac DPi-V.Rs’ endurance and agility is credited to the almost two-years of development by Cadillac, Dallara, ECR Engines, Wayne Taylor Racing and Action Express Racing.

As the race progressed from early sunshine and 70 degrees Fahrenheit to rain and 45 degrees overnight, the Cadillac teams had to negotiate 52 other race cars on the track and Mother Nature. Just 20-minutes into the race, Ricky Taylor took the lead in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac. Since that time, the Wayne Taylor led team had only a few hiccups during the 24 hours, one for a fire bottle pit lane infraction and a few late on-track miscues. Other than those minor racing incidents, the No. 10 Cadillac DPi-V.R never came to the garage and only needed gas, oil, tires, and a fresh driver.

Meanwhile, the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R team used strategy and speed to get to the back of the No. 10 in the early morning hours. At 10 a.m., Joao Barbosa filled Max Angelelli’s mirrors. As the raced progressed into the last hour the combination of Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque made it a two Cadillac DPi-V.R battle for the coveted Rolex Daytona watches. With 16-minutes left, Ricky Taylor made a run at Albuquerque into Turn 1. The two had their Cadillac DPi-V.R prototypes touching side panels as they put the power down from the 6.2L V8 Cadillac engine.

With 10-minutes remaining Ricky Taylor drove his Cadillac DPi-V.R to the apex of Turn 1 to make a pass on Albuquerque in the Mustang Sampling Cadillac. Taylor and Albuquerque touched, Abuquerque spun and Taylor went on to win the 55th running of the Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona.

At the finish, the Mustang Sampling Cadillac team of Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque finished second making it a Cadillac DPi-V.R one-two at the World Center of Racing. The second Action Express Racing entry, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R soldiered onto a sixth place finish.

Johan de Nysschen, executive vice president, General Motors, and president, Cadillac Division:

“Victory at the renowned Rolex 24 At Daytona is never easy. To do so in our debut, with a new car dominating the race, is a tribute to the efforts of our engineers, teams and drivers.”

“Cadillac’s return to endurance racing represents a tangible expression of our new product philosophy, in which technology and superlative engineering meet to challenge conventions and end the trade-off between luxury and performance.”

Mark Reuss, executive vice president General Motors - Global Product Development and Purchasing:

"It is hard to bring a brand back into racing. I was just over-the-moon to come down to Daytona for the first time and drive a brand new car, and a brand new chassis. Dallara did a great job with that chassis, and our engines were strong. ECR Engines really hit is out of the park with our new Cadillac 6.2L engine.

"It was one of those historic things. You are witnessing it in a historic place, and you are watching Jeff Gordon get into a prototype for the first time, and you watch him win it with Ricky and Jordan. You watch Max in his last race and watch him win it. Those are times you never forget, and that is what Daytona is all about. That is why this place is so special, because every time we come here for these races, special things happen.

"The battle was good. We had the good and the bad, and this weekend a lot of good. It was stuff we will never forget for the rest of our lives."

"I was particularly happy for Wayne Taylor and his sons because we've come here and run hard and finished second in this race - this is a hard race to win. To come here for the first time, with all the things he has done for Cadillac and now in the DPI class to bring that back with a new manufacturer, he won it through his efforts. I really express my extreme joy and gratitude to him because I know how passionate he is and puts his whole life in it. And now his sons are in thecars, so to watch them win it for us with our new car. To watch them convincingly win it was great."

Wallpapers of the GM Cadillac DPi-V.R. win 1st 2nd 6th at 2017 IMSA Daytona 24 Hours (click on image to enlarge)

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