Cadillac announced today it will return to racing in 2011 with a race-prepared version of its CTS-V Coupe competing in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge, North America’s top production-based racecar series.

Cadillac CTS V Coupe Race Car 2011

Cadillac will field two teams in the upcoming SCCA World Challenge GT Class with a racecar based on the CTS-V Coupe. The CTS-V line, which also includes the CTS-V Sedan and CTS-V Wagon, was freshly named to Car and Driver magazine’s 10 Best list for 2011.

“Returning to racing in the SCCA World Challenge is a great way to demonstrate the performance and capability of the CTS-V Coupe,” said Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing.   “The racecars in this series are production based, which allows us to validate our performance against the best of our competitors on the track, and not just the showroom.”

Cadillac CTS V Coupe 2011

Cadillac is working with Pratt & Miller, a New Hudson, Michigan, engineering firm which specializes in motorsports, to develop the Cadillac CTS V Coupe Race Car.

“The SCCA World Challenge lends itself well to a natural transfer of knowledge,” said Jim Campbell, GM vice president for performance vehicles and motorsports. “The series will become a key test-bed for Cadillac. We anticipate using what we learn on the racetrack to ensure V-Series stays on the cutting-edge of performance.”

Cadillac CTS V Coupe Race Car 2011

The first event in the SCCA World Challenge is set for March 25-27 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Johnny O’Connell, a three-time champion of the America Le Mans GT1 series, and Andy Pilgrim, who won the 2005 SCCA World Challenge GT class in a Cadillac, will be behind the wheel of the Cadillac CTS V Coupe racecars.

For the 2011 model year, Cadillac added the CTS-V Coupe and the CTS-V Sport Wagon to the CTS-V Sport Sedan, creating an impressive family of performance vehicles. The CTS-Vs feature Brembo brakes, a supercharged 6.2L V8 delivering 556 horsepower and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension system that can read and react to the road 1,000 times a second.