Photos: World Challenge

Cadillac Racing’s Johnny O’Connell took advantage of a last-lap incident to earn the manufacturer’s first Pirelli World Challenge win since Andy Pilgrim won at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2007.

Hot, humid weather and enthusiastic fans greeted the return of World Challenge competition and, for the Cadillac Racing team, it was time to shine. The double header weekend event started with drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim qualifying fifth and seventh respectively, for the Saturday morning race.

The cool morning weather was marred by hot heads as three full course cautions in the first race.

O’Connell, driving the #3 Cadillac CTS-V coupe, had made his way up to second place, when an incident with the third place car pushed O’Connell back to 11th spot. He would eventually finish in 8th place. His team mate, Pilgrim, finished the race in fourth.

For the second race of the double header, the Cadillacs were sitting with Pilgrim in P7 and O’Connell beside him in eighth place for the standing start. O’Connell managed a great start and was in sixth place by the end of the first lap.

O’Connell put on a consistent and determined charge, grabbing fourth place after a full course caution and a elegant pass that earned him the Clean Pass of the Race award. Now sitting in third place, it looked as though the race order had been settled. However, an incident between the race leader. Alex Figge, and second place runner, Mike Skeen, let O’Connell through for the victory.

“It doesn’t matter how you get ‘em, it’s just gettin’ ‘em,” O’Connell said after the race. ”After all the work that everyone at Cadillac Racing has done, it is nice to get the win today.”

The next round of World Challenge series racing moves west to Infineon Raceway, also for a double header event, on August 26-28.