Photo Credit: Jake Galstad/IMSA

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 29, 2026) — Redemption is sweet, but a dominant championship-extending victory is even sweeter.

After a heartbreaking loss in the final moments of last year’s race, Action Express Racing left nothing to chance on Sunday. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by the powerhouse trio of Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti, put on a masterclass at Watkins Glen International, converting a pole position into a brilliant victory at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

The win marks back-to-back IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victories for the Action Express squad and extends Aitken’s lead in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) standings. The triumph also marks a modern-era class record eighth consecutive GTP podium finish for the team.

Surviving the Chaos of the Esses

The 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course is notorious for its unforgiving nature, and Sunday’s race was no exception. A stop-and-start, high-attrition thriller featured nine full-course caution periods, severely disrupting any steady race rhythm.

The drama started early during the second full-course yellow. In a bizarre chain-reaction incident at the high-speed uphill Esses, the No. 81 DragonSpeed Corvette checked up, causing Colin Braun in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura to slow down. Roman de Angelis, piloting the No. 23 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie, could not stop in time, slamming into Braun and triggering a multi-car pileup under yellow conditions. While all drivers walked away safely, both the Acura and Aston Martin suffered terminal damage.

The No. 31 Cadillac survived its own major scare with roughly 90 minutes remaining. While fighting through heavy traffic in the Esses, Earl Bamber made slight contact with the No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari, sending Simon Mann into the wall. Fortunately for Action Express, IMSA officials reviewed the incident and deemed no investigation was necessary.

Timely Strategy and Team Directives

While the Cadillac pace was undisputed—with the No. 31 car leading 143 of the 182 laps completed—the victory required precision pit strategy.

During the second-to-last caution window, the team executed a brilliant pit stop that allowed them to leapfrog the No. 93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura. Following the final restart, Aitken found himself in third place behind the fading No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) Cadillac of Filipe Albuquerque. Recognizing Aitken's superior pace, Cadillac officials instructed Albuquerque to yield the position, allowing Aitken to mount a charge against the leaders.

A final, lightning-fast green-flag pit stop vaulted the Whelen Cadillac back into the overall lead. Aitken comfortably stretched his advantage to over seven seconds before a violent last-lap crash by Christopher Mies in the No. 65 Ford Mustang GT3 brought out the final yellow flag, freezing the field and sealing the Cadillac victory under caution.

Beyond the overall win, the Action Express crew celebrated a "triple crown" weekend, also securing the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup portion of the race and the IMSA Michelin Sustainability in Racing Award.

IMSA Watkins Glen Class Winners

The relentless action wasn't just limited to the top-tier GTP class. Across the four-class field, several teams broke long-standing dry spells or secured nail-biting thrillers:

"It feels a bit surreal to keep this podium streak going," a jubilant Jack Aitken said after the race. "The car was fantastic today, and a great performance from the Whelen Cadillac guys kept us at the front through some incredible chaos."

With Watkins Glen in the rearview mirror, Cadillac firmly controls the momentum heading into the heart of the summer stretch, while their GTP rivals are left searching for answers to stop the No. 31 juggernaut.

The Circuit de la Sarthe is buzzing with anticipation for the 94th running of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. Coming off a historic milestone where they swept the front row of the grid, Cadillac Racing returns to France with amplified numbers, a lethal driver lineup, and a meticulously refined V-Series.R Hypercar. They aren't just looking to qualify well—they are hunting for the ultimate overall crown.

The Three-Car Fleet: Meet the Grid

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) extended three factory invitations to Cadillac Racing, allowing the brand to blend its global efforts. The 2026 assault combines two full-season stalwarts from the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with an elite squad from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Technical Refinements: Built for the Slipstream

In motorsport, “built for the slipstream” means a vehicle is designed to exploit the low‑pressure air pocket (slipstream) created directly behind a leading car, using it to reduce aerodynamic drag and gain speed without extra engine power. In a top-tier Hypercar category separated by mere tenths of a second, pure speed on an empty track isn't enough. Cadillac engineers spent countless hours on simulators and on-track testing at Silverstone to solve the true riddle of Le Mans: navigating dense multi-class traffic.

The 2026 Cadillac V-Series.R features subtle but critical evolutions tailored for the French classic:

• Redesigned Aero Package: The most distinct visual change is a noticeably lower rear wing. This configuration maximizes aerodynamic efficiency while driving in a slipstream, allowing drivers to follow rivals closely through high-speed sections like the Porsche Curves with minimal downforce loss.

• Brake Technology Alignment: The 2026 racer features an upgraded braking system that aligns its hardware and tech suppliers directly with Cadillac’s road-going performance flagship, the CT5-V Blackwing.

• The Single Configuration Challenge: Hypercar regulations dictate a single aero layout for the entire season. Cadillac heavily prioritized Le Mans’ high-speed, low-drag demands while engineering the package to remain competitive at tighter WEC circuits.

"For this year we redesigned the aero package to improve our ability to follow cars closely with less loss of downforce than the previous package. We should be more competitive in traffic and so lap times should be improved."

— Jeromy Moore, Cadillac Lead Engineer

Laying Down the Gauntlet: Blistering Practice Pace

Early practice times indicate that Cadillac's engineering tweaks are paying off beautifully. During Free Practice 1, the American manufacturer laid down a massive marker. Jordan Taylor clocked a blistering 3m25.348s in the No. 101 Wayne Taylor Racing entry to comfortably top the classification, while Earl Bamber put the sister JOTA-run No. 38 Cadillac right at the top of the sheets alongside him.

While Alpine, BMW, Toyota, and defending champions Ferrari remain razor-sharp threats, Cadillac's raw pace is undeniable. The thunderous, visceral roar of the naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 engine is turning heads in the grandstands—and setting off alarm bells in rival garages.

The Ultimate Outlook

Endurance racing purists know that Le Mans loves to throw curveballs at sunrise, and surviving 24 hours of grueling mechanical torture is the real test. However, with three cars on the grid, an optimized aerodynamic profile built for combat, and an array of past Le Mans winners behind the wheel, Cadillac Racing has never been more lethal.

The green flag drops soon. The unmistakable sound of Detroit iron is ready to conquer France.

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2026

General Motors enjoyed a fairytale weekend in the shadows of its corporate headquarters, as Cadillac Racing captured a spectacular 1-3 finish at the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic. The 100-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship sprint race on the bumpy, tight streets of downtown Detroit concluded with Cadillac standing tall on the top step of the podium.

Dominance from Pole: The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Triumphs

The No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber, delivered a masterclass in street circuit racing. After Bamber secured the Motul Pole Award with a record-setting qualifying lap, he comfortably controlled the opening 33 minutes of the race.

When Aitken took over the wheel, he unleashed the true pace of the V-Series.R, pulling out a massive 14-second lead over the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) field. Despite a pair of late-race full-course cautions that wiped out his advantage, Aitken aced both restarts, eventually crossing the finish line with a 6.023-second margin over the second-place No. 25 BMW.

"To do it here at the home of GM and Cadillac with so many friends and family with us, my team absolutely nailed it," Aitken said after the race. "It’s a win that we’ve been searching for for a while."

This marked the first victory of the 2026 season for the No. 31 car, extending their incredible streak to seven consecutive podium finishes dating back to September 2025.

Wayne Taylor Racing Secures a 1-3 Cadillac Podium

Compounding the celebration for the American manufacturer, the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) V-Series.R driven by Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque carved their way through the field to finish third.

After an unlucky red flag in qualifying forced them to start from seventh, Albuquerque fought aggressively through the opening stint. Following a flawless pit stop and an overcut strategy, Taylor took over and expertly managed his tires and energy allotment through late-race chaos to secure WTR's first podium of the 2026 season.

Championship Standings Shakeup

The hometown victory had massive implications for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship:

• Drivers' Championship: Jack Aitken has officially re-taken the lead in the GTP Drivers' Championship, opening up a 144-point gap over his nearest rival.
• Teams' Championship: The No. 31 Action Express-led Whelen Cadillac team extended its lead to 153 points.
• Manufacturer Standings: Cadillac has leapfrogged Porsche to lead the GTP Manufacturer Standings by 17 points.

Adding to the GM celebration, the sister brand Corvette Racing also took top honors in the GTD PRO class with the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R, making it a complete sweep for General Motors on the Detroit riverfront.

The next stop for Cadillac Racing will be the grueling Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International, happening June 25–28.

SOURCE: www.cadillac.com/racing/imsa

Following a pass in Turn 5 of the 11-turn course, Earl Bamber finished second in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, just .758 seconds behind first. Bamber’s teammate, Jack Aitken, started second and took the lead on lap 20 from the pole-winning car driven by Louis Delétraz, driver of the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R. The No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, driven by Delétraz and Jordan Taylor, finished 10th, while Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor, drivers of the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, finished 33rd overall.

Louis Deletraz delivered a breakthrough performance to put Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing on pole at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 29-year-old Swiss driver wheeled the #40 Cadillac V-Series.R to a flying lap of 1m13.221s around the 11-turn, 2.238-mile natural terrain road course to take the top spot. It marks the first pole for Wayne Taylor Racing since 2024 (Road America).

“That’s awesome,” Deletraz said. “I’m so happy. We’ve been working really hard. All the boys and girls have been really pushing for performance and it’s great to reward them with a pole position.”

The WTR Cadillac had company on the front row as Jack Aitken put the #31 Whelen Cadillac in second, 0.280s behind.

Cadillac Racing has recorded 11 podium finishes at Laguna Seca, including victory in 2023, since joining the IMSA prototype competition in 2017. They also have 108 podiums (24 GTP, 84 DPi) since joining the IMSA prototype competition in 2017. The team is now focused on the race ahead at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear® on May 30.

Cadillac Racing has recorded 11 podium finishes at Laguna Seca, including victory in 2023, since joining the IMSA prototype competition in 2017. They also have 108 podiums (24 GTP, 84 DPi) since joining the IMSA prototype competition in 2017. The team is now focused on the race ahead at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear® on May 30.

For the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona, Cadillac Racing will field entries with Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR)/Konica Minolta Cadillac and Action Express Racing (AXR) Whelen Cadillac, featuring drivers like Jordan Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, and Colton Herta for WTR, while Whelen's lineup includes Earl Bamber, Frederik Vesti, and Jack Aitken (with Connor Zilisch potentially joining), as they aim for overall victory in the GTP class against strong manufacturer competition from Porsche, BMW, Acura, and Aston Martin.

The event, a capacity 61-car grid, will take place January 24-25, 2026, with pre-race testing (ROAR) starting January 16-18.

Cadillac's 2026 Rolex 24 Teams & Drivers:

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 10)
Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 40)
Cadillac Whelen (No. 31)

The car used will be the Cadillac V-Series.R powered by the purpose-built Cadillac 5.5L DOHC V8 engine which is designed to the Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) regulations. The 2026 version will feature aerodynamic updates and other improvements following data acquisition from the 2025 season. It is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 engine and a spec hybrid system.

January 21-25. 2026

For 2026 the Cadillac V-Club is hosting a members only V-Series vehicle  Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona Road Rally cruise to Daytona International Speedway.  RSVP registration to participate in the Road Rally sold out in less than 30 minutes which was limited to 50 vehicles.  The V-Club Road Rally has multiple launch points with members attending from the North Central, South Central, Atlantic Northeast and Atlantic Southeast regions.  All Cadillac V-Club members who purchase a ticket package will receive the following benefits and commemorative gifts.

• One (1) on-site parking pass to the Cadillac V-Performance Car Corral. Access limited to Cadillac vehicles only 
• Two (2) three-day suite passes to the Cadillac V-Performance Hospitality Suite with indoor/outdoor seating and views of the entire circuit
• Exclusive opportunity to drive your Cadillac on the track at Daytona International Speedway (parade laps Friday evening)
• Premium catered meals, snacks and beverages in the Cadillac V-Performance Hospitality Suite
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes access with Cadillac Racing teams and drivers
• Meet and greet opportunities with Cadillac executives and V-Performance engineers
• K1-Speed 24 minutes of Rolex race on Thursday afternoon invitation
• Member reception dinner on Thursday evening invitation
• Road Rally participants also will receive a custom commemorative Road Rally long sleeve hoodie t-shirt and Road Rally lapel pin 

PHOTO CREDIT: Cadillac Racing

In the recent 8 Hours of Bahrain race, Cadillac's No. 12 car finished in sixth place, while the No. 38 car, which was Jenson Button's final race, finished in 16th. The No. 12 car finished sixth despite a challenging Balance of Performance (BoP) and was the only Hypercar to score points in every race that season. 

Cadillac didn’t pull off a miracle and claim its first-ever WEC title, but the V-Series.R was far stronger than expected in Bahrain.

The #12 climbed to sixth despite a clear performance deficit.

“With the BoP we had, we knew it was going to be a challenge, but we gave it absolutely everything, and we can be proud of that said Alex Lynn."

It was less positive for the #38, with Jenson Button ending his professional racing career in unlucky fashion. Hit by a penalty and an ill-timed safety car, he finished a distant 13th.

Still, with three poles, a 1-2 in Brazil, and consistent pace all year, Cadillac ends 2025 fourth in the championship, and the partnership with Jota already looks like a natural fit.

• No. 12 Cadillac: Finished in sixth place. The drivers were Alex Lynn, Norman Nato, and Will Stevens.
• No. 38 Cadillac: Finished in 16th place. This was Jenson Button's final professional race. He faced challenges including a penalty and an ill-timed safety car.
• Overall season: The results concluded the season, with Cadillac tying its best standing of fourth in the Manufacturers' Championship. 

Cadillac race results at the 2025 8 Hours of Bahrain

Season achievements for Cadillac

• Top-four in Manufacturers' Championship: Cadillac ended the 2025 season tied for its best Manufacturers' Championship finish, placing fourth.
• Consistent scoring: The No. 12 car was the only Hypercar in the 2025 WEC season to score points in all eight races.
• Race win and poles: The No. 12 trio secured Cadillac's maiden WEC victory earlier in the season and earned three pole positions.

Cadillac finished the 2025 IMSA Championship strong, winning the final race, Motul Petit Le Mans, but did not win the overall season championship. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R team, with drivers Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti, took the overall victory, marking their second consecutive win to end the season. However, Porsche secured both the GTP driver and manufacturer championships for 2025.  

Race Finish:

Team and Drivers:

The winning car was the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti. 

Season Championship:

Despite the strong finish, Cadillac did not win the overall 2025 IMSA GTP season championship. Porsche, with drivers Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell, won both the driver and manufacturer titles. 

Manufacturer's Championship:

Cadillac finished third in the 2025 IMSA GTP Manufacturers' Championship. This was the result of the season finale, where the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R won the Motul Petit Le Mans, but Porsche won both the manufacturer and team titles. The No. 31 car also finished second in the GTP Teams' Championship.

After the recent win at the Indianapolis Speedway, Cadillac has gone back-to-back at the Motul Petit Le Mans to conclude the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Cadillac won the 2025 Petit Le Mans, with the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti taking the overall and GTP class victory. This marks a second consecutive Petit Le Mans win for Cadillac and for the No. 31 team, though Porsche secured the 2025 IMSA GTP championship titles.

Winning car: The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. Winning drivers: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti.

Race details: The win was Cadillac's second consecutive victory at Petit Le Mans and its second consecutive race win to end the season.

Championship context: Despite the race victory, the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche team, driven by Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell, clinched the 2025 IMSA GTP driver and manufacturer championships with a third-place finish.

The #31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh took the flag after 10 hours of racing around Road Atlanta with a 5.1s margin over #23 The Heart of Racing Aston Martin Valkyrie Le Mans Hypercar shared by Ross Gunn, Roman De Angelis and Alex Riberas. The Action Express Cadillac was the fastest car for the majority of the 10-hour IMSA SportsCar Championship finale at Road Atlanta, but had to fight back from an early delay to retain the Petit Le Mans crown won by the Chip Ganassi Racing squad in 2024.

Cadillac Racing won the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks in IMSA at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 21, 2025, with the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac, driven by Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti, securing the team's first IMSA victory of the season. The Cadillac team finished 1-2 at Indianapolis, dominating the race and leading a majority of the laps.

Key Details of the Victory:

Date: September 21, 2025

Winning Car: No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R

Winning Drivers: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti

Significance: This marked Cadillac's first IMSA win of the 2025 season and the first overall victory for the Whelen Cadillac team since the 2023 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Performance: Cadillac was dominant, leading the majority of the laps and finishing with a 1-2 result.

Race Highlights:

Jack Aitken started the race on pole position and led the field.

The #31 Whelen Cadillac led 210 of the 243 laps in the race.

After a strong performance, the Cadillac V-Series.R held off a charging #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac for a 1-2 finish.

For additional info and highlights of the race, visit Racer.com

Checkout Action Express Racing on Facebook!