Cadillac is officially on the verge of returning to the world of motorsports with its new CTS-V Coupe race car. Following the track-spec Caddy’s world debut at the Detroit Motor Show last week, the race-ready CTS-V Coupe hit the track for the first time on Monday driven by Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim, for testing at Sebring International Raceway.

GM’s luxury car division had already pulled out of racing before the U.S. government bailed out the company in 2009. The last time Cadillac officially competed was in 2007 in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT series. Now the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe race car will return to the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT series in 2011, with its first appearance taking place at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 25-27.

The CTS-V Coupe race car was built as a collaboration between General Motors and Pratt and Miller. Their goal was to make the race car as close as possible to the production vehicle, but at the same time, make a racer compliant with the SCCA technical rules. Technical details of the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe race car have not been released yet. (more…)