Controversial Caddys get Castrated

[Layla's Keeper]

Well, after fangoriously devouring the GT field at the Sebring Speed World Challenge season opener, the factory Caddilac CTS-V's have been slapped with ten tons of legislation. Originally, thrilled with Caddy's participation, the SCCA made allowances for the CTS-V to make it more competitive. Unfortunately, too many steps were taken in that direction.

Here's the list of restrictions now placed on the CTS-V's.

When the Cadillac CTS-V next appears at an SCCA SPEED GT race, it will weigh 200 lbs more than Sebring, be restricted 30 percent more on airflow (to a total of 50 percent restriction), have a rev limit of 7000 rpm (900 rpm lower than Sebring) and be limited to a maximum of 49 percent rear weight distribution. The air intake Team Cadillac developed for Sebring will be the system specified on the car’s Vehicle Technical Specifications (VTS) for the remainder of the season.

Quote taken from article at SpeedTV.com.



So, does this seem fair?

[flylwsi]

they DID dominate...
but that's not their fault, is it?

[Layla's Keeper]

True. Throughout the off-season people were saying that the SCCA was giving the Caddys too much leeway. Caddy took all that they got and built one helluva a race car, but it's really way beyond the spirit of the series and the SCCA is just trying to wipe the egg off their faces in order to keep all the other makes interested in competing. After all, Volvo is debuting their factory S60R program at the next event and they built the car to the spirit of the rules. Wouldn't want to chase away one manufacturer to keep another.

[Bunta]

Well, it's nice that caddy got such a big entrance.

[flylwsi]

beyond the spirit of the series?
every racer out there knows that they've got to push the rules as far as possible...
the SCCA gave them too much leeway, and they went with it...
any real racer would do the same...

now the SCCA is backpeddling... oops.

[kfoote]

The question isn't whether the Pratt & Miller team pushed the limits of the rules. Having been at Sebring, I have no doubts that the cars were prepared to the limit of the rules and that the cars were legal. The question is the rules that were given to them. Specifically, the items that have come into question are that the entire body is about 4" shorter than the stock body. No other car has this allowance. Another one is that they were allowed to move the engine back and alter the firewall. The only other car allowed to do that is the normally aspirated Ford Mustang (Not the Saleen, they can't move that engine). The final big issue is the allowance of Corvette C6 engine components, that even the C5's are not allowed. Personally, I feel that without these three allowances, they still probably would have both finished at least in the top 5. The new rules are a step in the right direction, but it does cause a couple of questions: If they still walk away from the field at Lime Rock, how much more can SCCA do to slow the cars, and with that small of a restrictor, will the engines survive the race?

Yes, the SCCA is backpeddling, they have even admitted that on their own message board, and kudos to them for doing so. The rules are a step in the right direction, and the race at Lime Rock should be closer. We will have to wait and see whether it will be enough.