Race car drivers at Auto Show to promote Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix in June

Racing returns to Detroit in June

Detroit Grand Prix_20111012055924_JPG

(Photo by Darrell Ingham/Getty Images)
Copyright Getty Images

Advertisement

Posted: 01/20/2012

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Racing comes back to Belle Isle this summer and several of the racers are in Detroit today at the Auto Show.

"This one is a great race track," said race car driver Andy Pilgrim about the Belle Isle circuit.

Pilgrim and teammate Johnny O’Connell were among the several drivers at the Auto Show Friday. Pilgrim and O'Connell will be racing in the Pirelli World Challenge, one of four races heading to Belle Isle for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.

Both men will be driving Cadillac CTS-V Coupes. Both have raced Detroit before.

"To be able to win races in the shadows of the RenCen is pretty cool," said O'Connell.

Unlike IndyCar or NASCAR, The Pirelli World Challenge GT Racing Series features production-based race cars.

The race car body for the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe is made in Lansing, the same plant where the production car is built. Both vehicles share 80 percent of their parts.

This year's races will take place June 1-3, and feature the cars of the IZOD IndyCar Series, the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, the Pirelli World Challenge Championship Series and the Firestone Indy Lights Series.

Belle Isle last hosted races in 2008.

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

  • Comments

 

Going to the Show

 

2013 Detroit Auto Show Dates

 

January 14-15: Media Preview
January 16-17: Industry Preview
January 18: Charity Preview Gala
January 19-27: Open To Public!
January 25: WXYZ Family Day

 

2013 Detroit Auto Show Hours

 

Wed, January 16: Noon - 9 p.m.
Thu, January 17: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Fri, January 18: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. (Black-tie)
Sat, January 19 - Sat, January 26: 9 a.m. -1 0 p.m.
(no admittance after 9 p.m.)
Sun, January 27: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
(no admittance after 6 p.m.)


Tickets, Parking and More...


Tickets to the Detroit Auto Show are $12 with discounts available for seniors and children ($6 for each). Groups of 30 or more can also purchase discounted tickets.

 

The show takes place at Detroit's Cobo Center. For parking information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit the official NAIAS website.

 

  • Sponsored by:

Auto Show Sponsors The Henry Ford Acura Saint Joseph Mercy Health System The Lincoln Motor Company Gardner-White Northwood University Southeast Michigan Ford Dealers Flagstar Bank Bridgestone

Advertisement

Latest Auto News


  1. Automated driving is coming!

    Automated driving is coming!

    New numbers from the NTSB show fatal accidents are on the rise. Last year more than 34,000 drivers were killed on the road, up five percent in 2011..

  2. GM gears up to launch community program

    GM gears up to launch community program

    General Motors is set to begin the new GM Student Corp program. It’s a paid internship with 110 Detroit high school students participating.

  3. Ed Carpenter earns Indy 500 pole

    Ed Carpenter earns Indy 500 pole

    Ed Carpenter turned Pole Day into a family celebration. The stepson of IndyCar founder Tony George became the first member of the Hulman family to win the biggest pre-race event in the series -- the Indianapolis 500 pole.