Sonoman
Enthusiast
Don't throw it away!! I did the half-day V-Series Performance Lab at Sonoma Raceway this week and it was a hoot! All it took was an online registration using an invitation code contained in that ********* postcard. Maurice L., former VCA NorCal Prez was also there, sat with him at the free lunch Cadillac provided. If you are not already a track-day rat, getting to thrash a car that is not your's on a road course is a worthy experience.
The Caddy CTS-V is fast! 556 Horsepower supercharged V8 (similar to 'Vette ZR-1). 15-inch Brembo brakes. Magnetic ride suspension. It's a 4-hour event (plus the free lunch), about one-quarter of the time spent in the cars driving. Also had an ex-pro race driver take me for a hot lap before we switched over and I drove the track. My instructor in the first road course drive session was intense. We left the pits at 30 second intervals and I ended up passing 3 cars in two laps! Crazy fun. He wasn’t happy unless the tires were sounding off. I was good with that! Hit over 100 on the two short straights.
In the early part of the day they sent us off one-by-one (no instructor in car) on the drift course in 321 HP ATS sedans, daring us to spin the car with stability control on. It was almost impossible to spin the car out, but we gave it a go a few times each. Also had 600-foot heads-up drag racing with an ABS brake test at the end (stop as fast as you possibly can), and a slalom course set-up with those orange traffic cones. A real beat session, overall.
In addition to the CTS-V Coupes, I got to drive a mean-looking jet-black, supercharged wagon around the main track. This thing was a beast and really held it's own well compared to the smaller coupes.
End of the day was a video run where they film you driving the CTS-V around the track with a forward view, an in-car camera, audio, and a speed gauge. I had a cute female instructor for that one, so hopefully it comes out good. They are supposed send you the video in ten days so I haven't seen it yet. Should be good for a laugh— she was making comments the whole time saying I snapped off the throttle too abruptly and things like that (“constructive criticism”). Would be fun to take a full-blown race driving course with someone like my first instructor (who had raced various pro racing series for the last 25 years). Overall I was surprised how much my motorcycle track days on that same road course helped out. Whipping through the long Carousel corner felt very similar from my Ducati to the CTS-V, with the sensation of leaning on the bike being replaced by a sensation of lateral g-force.
Highly recommended if you get the opportunity!
The Caddy CTS-V is fast! 556 Horsepower supercharged V8 (similar to 'Vette ZR-1). 15-inch Brembo brakes. Magnetic ride suspension. It's a 4-hour event (plus the free lunch), about one-quarter of the time spent in the cars driving. Also had an ex-pro race driver take me for a hot lap before we switched over and I drove the track. My instructor in the first road course drive session was intense. We left the pits at 30 second intervals and I ended up passing 3 cars in two laps! Crazy fun. He wasn’t happy unless the tires were sounding off. I was good with that! Hit over 100 on the two short straights.
In the early part of the day they sent us off one-by-one (no instructor in car) on the drift course in 321 HP ATS sedans, daring us to spin the car with stability control on. It was almost impossible to spin the car out, but we gave it a go a few times each. Also had 600-foot heads-up drag racing with an ABS brake test at the end (stop as fast as you possibly can), and a slalom course set-up with those orange traffic cones. A real beat session, overall.
In addition to the CTS-V Coupes, I got to drive a mean-looking jet-black, supercharged wagon around the main track. This thing was a beast and really held it's own well compared to the smaller coupes.
End of the day was a video run where they film you driving the CTS-V around the track with a forward view, an in-car camera, audio, and a speed gauge. I had a cute female instructor for that one, so hopefully it comes out good. They are supposed send you the video in ten days so I haven't seen it yet. Should be good for a laugh— she was making comments the whole time saying I snapped off the throttle too abruptly and things like that (“constructive criticism”). Would be fun to take a full-blown race driving course with someone like my first instructor (who had raced various pro racing series for the last 25 years). Overall I was surprised how much my motorcycle track days on that same road course helped out. Whipping through the long Carousel corner felt very similar from my Ducati to the CTS-V, with the sensation of leaning on the bike being replaced by a sensation of lateral g-force.
Highly recommended if you get the opportunity!
