What's new for General Motor's? Well aside from unveiling new vehicles in recent domestic and international auto shows and manufacturing quality GM parts like , GM's Cadillac NASCAR team also got something new for racing fans.
GM's Team Cadillac has recently signed Jimmie Johnson, the current NASCAR Nextel Cup series champion to drive the No. 16 Cadillac CTS-V in the forthcoming SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT that will take place at Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) later in May 2007.
Here is what Jimmie Johnson said in a GM official press release:
"I've driven thousands of laps at Lowe's Motor Speedway and enjoyed success there, but it's going to be a new experience for me to turn right as well as left when I race in the SPEED GT event in Charlotte. I've always enjoyed driving different kinds of vehicles, so I'm looking forward to racing against sports cars with the Cadillac CTS-V sedan."
"When I tested with Team Cadillac on the Sebring road course in February, I discovered that the Cadillac CTS-V race car's handling and braking are similar to the setups we use in NASCAR Nextel Cup road races. I'm hoping that my experience at Lowe's Motor Speedway will benefit the team because we only have one day to practice, qualify and race," he continued. "I really enjoyed working with the Team Cadillac crew and my teammates Andy Pilgrim and Lawson Aschenbach during the test, and I think we'll be able to get our CTS-V race cars up to speed quickly on both the oval and the road course sections at Lowe's Motor Speedway."
Johnson began his career as a race driver in NEXTEL Cup series in 2002 when he entered the 2002 Daytona 500 and ended up in the 15th place. He was also the runner-up for the 2002 NASCAR Rookie of the Year. Johnson currently pilots the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS for Hendrick Motorsports.
"We're proud to have Jimmie as a member of the GM family, and we appreciate the cooperation between Chevrolet, Cadillac, GM Racing and Hendrick Motorsports that made this program possible." said Steve Wesoloski, Manager of GM Road Racing Group. "This is a great opportunity to have the defending NASCAR Nextel Cup champion compete in one of our GM road racing programs, and it will certainly put the SPEED World Challenge Series in the spotlight."
Moreover, Cadillac General Manager Jim Taylor commented:
"As we've been reinventing and rebuilding the Cadillac brand over the past several years, we've made the conscious strategic decision to align Cadillac with the best of the best in everything we do. We'll have the past two SPEED GT champions, Andy and Lawson, for the full 2007 season, and we're absolutely thrilled to have 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson drive our third CTS-V in the upcoming Charlotte race."
Jimmie Johnson will go aboard the Cadillac CTS-V and experience the race car's high performance and dynamic handling coming from the monstrous 6.0-liter V8 engine pumping out 500 horses under its hood.
