Beretta Shoots for Cadillac Victory at Laguna Seca

Le Mans Champion Will Pilot Third CTS-V In Final SPEED GT Race

DETROIT - The General Motors' Cadillac CTS-V racing team will field a third car for Round 10 of the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on October 17. GM Racing driver Olivier Beretta, winner of the GTS class for Corvette in the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans, will drive the #12 CTS-V race car in the event, joining Max Angelelli and Andy Pilgrim on Team Cadillac. Beretta will race in both Cadillac and Corvette events during the weekend. With one race remaining, Cadillac is currently tied with Audi for the Manufacturers' title in the SPEED GT.

"The story of the #12 Cadillac continues," said David Spitzer, program manager for Team Cadillac. "From John Heinricy's amazing podium at Mid Ohio, to Ron Fellows win at Mosport, to Johnny O'Connell's adventure at Road Atlanta - we always add some spice to the weekend. Our final surprise is to bring the talented Olivier Beretta to Team Cadillac. It's not easy for anyone to jump out of a Corvette C5-R on racing slicks and into a production-based car on street-legal tires. Olivier Beretta has demonstrated the ability to drive different sorts of racing cars-right now he shares duties in the C5-R with testing Formula 1 cars-and we expect him to show that ability at Laguna Seca."

Beretta recently had the opportunity to test the Cadillac at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Mich.

"This CTS-V is fantastic," said Beretta. "For a modified street car, it is great to drive. I had a chance to practice the standing starts and they are quite fun. My mission is clear - to win the race and help Cadillac win the Manufacturers' Championship."

With experience in many different types of racing machinery, sometimes during the same season, Olivier Beretta has proven to be a diverse racing driver. His experience in karting, F3000, Formula 1 and sports cars all began in his native Monaco, where Beretta knew from a young age that he would chose racing as a career. While he achieved name recognition in the ranks of Formula 1, it was not until sports cars that Beretta starting winning championships; he now holds a remarkable portfolio of two FIA GT Championships and two ALMS Championships (as well as three 24 Hours of Le Mans GTS wins). The addition of a victory in a black Cadillac CTS-V will fit perfectly in his trophy case.

In its debut season, Team Cadillac has notched five podium finishes, including four pole positions and three victories in nine rounds of racing.

Cadillac is a division of General Motors. General Motors, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide, and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. Cadillac products include CTS sport sedan, CTS-V, SRX luxury utility, STS luxury performance sedan, DeVille, XLR luxury roadster, and the most powerful full-size utilities on the planet; Escalade, Escalade EXT and Escalade ESV.