Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: jdemerson on January 30, 2017, 11:45:43 AM

Title: Cadillac DPi Wins Rolex 24 Hours race at Daytona
Post by: jdemerson on January 30, 2017, 11:45:43 AM
This weekend Cadillac won the first two places in the 24-hour endurance race in Florida -- the Rolex 24 at Daytons:
//http:.com/article/imsa/taylor-wins-rolex-24-daytona-cadillac-makes-strong-statement/

I suspect there's little interest in car racing on this message board, even when Cadillac is involved. I have very little interest in racing as well. But this is a major race and the news feed caught my eye. Jeff Gordan, a NASCAR champion, was one of the drivers of the winning Cadillac.

Cadillac-engined cars were prominent and successful in racing in the 1950s.  I'm thinking of Allard and Cunningham, for example. I wonder if there may be a way to capitalize on the current racing successes to generate some interest among younger folks in Cadillac and even in the CLC? Our membership has been declining, and finding new avenues for reversing that would certainly help the CLC financially.

John
Title: Re: Cadillac DPi Wins Rolex 24 Hours race at Daytona
Post by: 35-709 on January 30, 2017, 03:45:58 PM
That link wouldn't work for me, if anyone else has trouble with it, try this one ---

http://autoweek.com/article/imsa/taylor-wins-rolex-24-daytona-cadillac-makes-strong-statement
Title: Re: Cadillac DPi Wins Rolex 24 Hours race at Daytona
Post by: chrisntam on January 30, 2017, 05:54:38 PM
I watched it, not sure how much of the car was Cadillac, certainly the engine.  As it's an endurance race, the engine certainly lasted.  A 24 hour race covers about 2300 to 2600 miles averaging about 100 miles an hour, give or take.
Title: Re: Cadillac DPi Wins Rolex 24 Hours race at Daytona
Post by: 35-709 on January 30, 2017, 10:31:07 PM
The engines were Chevrolet the way I read it.

"The wild cards in the Prototype class, which featured all-new cars this season, were the three Cadillac DPi entries: the Nos. 5 and 31 Action Express cars, which, with Chevrolet power, have taken all three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships so far; plus the No. 10 car."

Title: Re: Cadillac DPi Wins Rolex 24 Hours race at Daytona
Post by: The Tassie Devil(le) on January 30, 2017, 10:47:19 PM
That is the trouble with these modern cars.   Nothing is original.   Too much cross manufacturing.

Bruce. >:D
Title: Re: Cadillac DPi Wins Rolex 24 Hours race at Daytona
Post by: jdemerson on January 31, 2017, 09:48:32 AM
Yes, the engines were made by Chevrolet. I don't think that changes much the main point of the O.P. Cadillac and possibly even the CLC might stand to gain a bit from these successes. Hasn't Mercedes Benz benefited over the years from its racing successes, even from cars whose engines were made by another firm, AMG? Of course they eventually bought AMG so now the racing Mercedes have engines that are "in house".

Many Cadillacs had very good engines that were not made by Cadillac. LaSalle in 1934-36. Seville in the 70s (Oldsmobile). RWD models in 1990-96 (excellent cars and excellent Chevrolet engines). Early CTS. CTS-V (with Corvette 350 engine). Many other examples, some of which don't inspire pride in our favorite marque. In fact, the last Cadillac-engined car was the 2010 Northstar models. But it still seems that the cars that are winning all these IMSA races, including Daytona, are seen as Cadillacs and not as Chevrolets. For many of us, it's not a very big deal, but it's still a plus for Cadillac.

John