Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Cadillac scores a 1-2 victory at the 2017 Daytona 24

Stephen Edelstein
By

The 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona kicked off the U.S. racing season this past weekend with a 24-hour battle that ended in a historic victory for Cadillac.

The General Motors luxury brand’s overall win at Daytona is its first ever in a top-level endurance race. The winning number 10 Cadillac DPi-V.R was campaigned by Wayne Taylor Racing, and driven by Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor, Max Angelelli, and former NASCAR star Jeff Gordon. The race ended up becoming a duel between the number 10 Cadillac and the number 5, which was overtaken in the race’s final minutes.

Recommended Videos

The driver roster for the number 10 Cadillac shows just how far the automaker has come in racing over the past decade and a half. Ricky and Jordan Taylor are the sons of team owner Wayne Taylor, who raced with Cadillac in its ill-fated attempt at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000. Angelelli has been a Cadillac factory driver for years, and is the program manager for the DPi-V.R. His win at Daytona this year marked the end of his career as a professional race driver.

Daytona marked the debut of the Cadillac DPi-V.R, which is part of a new class called DPi as the top class in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, of which Daytona is the season opener. The DPi cars all use similar Dallara chassis, but manufacturers supply their own powertrains. The Cadillac is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 based on the one used in the CTS-V sports sedan and Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

The switch to DPi from the old Daytona Prototype class worked to Cadillac’s advantage, and actually made a win at Daytona a pretty good bet. Cadillac managed to attract many of the top teams, most of which had a pre-existing relationship with GM from racing Corvette Daytona Prototypes in previous seasons. Like the Corvette Daytona Prototypes, the Cadillac race cars also have large-displacement V8 engines, which have done well on IMSA circuits in the past.

While Cadillac took the overall win, the Ford GT team that won its class at Le Mans last year came home first in the GTLM class, while the Porsche 911 GT3-R of Alegra Motorsports took the GTD class win. Both GT classes are based around production cars, rather than purpose-built prototypes like the Cadillac DPi-V.R. Finally, Performance Tech Motorsports got the win in the Prototype Challenge class.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Rivian R2 vs Hyundai Ioniq 5: Should you wait for the Rivian R2?
Rivian R2

Rivian has taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, an electric SUV that's similar to the much-loved R1S, but smaller and, crucially, cheaper. But the R2 goes up against some serious competition. The likes of Hyundai have been building solid EVs for some time now -- including the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The R2 and the Ioniq 5 each make a compelling case for themselves, and they're likely to end up being similarly priced if the Ioniq 5 doesn't get much cheaper and the R2 does end up being sold at $45,000. To be fair, the cars are pretty different -- the R2 is more of an SUV, while the Ioniq 5 is much more crossover-sized. But because of their similar price, you might be deciding between the two. How do they compare? We put the Rivian R2 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 head-to-head.
Design
The differences between the Rivian R2 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 are perhaps no more apparent than when it comes to design.

Read more
The 6 best remote car starters in 2024
Best car remote starters

While some modern vehicles come standard with remote start features, it's still relatively uncommon. That's a shame because if you live somewhere where cold weather, snow, and ice are frequent concerns, a remote car starter is one of the best auto accessories you can have. If you're not familiar with them, a remote car starter works similarly to a key fob, except it will actually start your car from a distance instead of just unlocking the doors or trunk. That means you can start your car from the warm comfort of your home or office before venturing out. If you live somewhere hot, you can even start your car and let the AC run for a little bit. You'll never enter a freezing cold or scorching hot vehicle again.

The best remote car starters have long ranges, replaceable batteries, and other handy features — but how do you know which is best for you? We’ve compiled a list of the best car starters in a range of prices and features. Keep in mind that while you can install some yourself, some will require a professional.
The best remote car starters in 2024

Read more
The best portable jump starters for cars in 2024
The Clore Jump-N-Carry JNC660 portable jump starter connected to a truck battery.

Any time you hit the road, whether you're taking a short or long trip, it's a good idea to have backups handy. A spare or backup tire, some anti-freeze, windshield wash fluid, a road hazard kit, and, last but not least, one of the best portable tire inflators and a portable jump starter. You never know when cold weather, inadvertently leaving the dome light on, or plain old Father Time can curse you with a dead battery. Ensure you have one of the best portable jump starters that can save you in a jam, kickstarting your car even when there isn't anyone around to jump the battery. Naturally, that's why we’ve rounded up what we feel are the best portable jump starters for 2024.
The best portable jump starters in 2024

Buy the if you want the best portable jump starter overall.
Buy the if you want the best portable jump starter runner-up.
Buy the if you want the best portable jump starter and tire inflator combo.
Buy the if you want another name-brand option.
Buy the if you want the best portable jump starter for cheap.

Read more