Regional & Local Chapter News

In November/December, twenty-one Cadillac V-Club local chapters hosted holiday celebration events for their members.  We hope that each of you who were able to attend a local chapter event enjoyed the opportunity to spend time together and participate in the activities planned and hosted by your local Chapter Director. There is still 1 local chapter holiday celebration event remaining to be hosted as a New Year's kick-off celebration event later this month (Las Vegas).   It has been a tradition for the Cadillac V-Club Operational Leadership Team (OLT) to randomly select members to win prizes during the celebration season.  Every Local Chapter Director gave away multiple door prizes via a random drawing at their events. In addition, the Executive OLT randomly selected two regional members to receive a 1-year full membership extension of their current term of membership plus a $100 gift certificate to be redeemed on Cadillaccollection.com.   Since 2015, in collaboration with GM/Cadillac, there has been a grand prize winner selected.  For 2025 once again, the grand prize is a tuition paid trip to Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club to attend the Cadillac V Performance Academy (approximately a $3,500 value).  All local chapter and regional members were eligible to win the grand prize via a random drawing conducted by members of the Executive OLT. The Grand Prize Winner is Gary Lucas of Lucas, TX who has been a member of the DFW Chapter since 2017. Gary was chosen via a drawing held using Random.org to select the winner from among all members excluding sponsors, preferred partners and members of our Operational Leadership Team.  A prize certificate will be emailed to the grand prize winner providing redemption instructions. The winner is responsible for associated travel arrangements and expenses. The prize certificate is not transferable to any non-member of the Cadillac V-Club and must be used during the calendar year 2026. Should the events be cancelled for any unforeseen reason, a best effort will be made to provide tickets to an alternate venue at a future date.  The Regional Prize Winners are: Joseph Miller - Tallahassee, FL Sandy Ruplinger - Germanton, WI The renewal dates for these regional members will be extended by 1 additional year based on their original join date and the $100 gift certificates will be emailed to each recipient within the next week direct from "Brand Addition/CadillacCollection.com". Each year we also have a tradition of selecting a Chapter Director of the Year to receive special recognition and a prize.  For 2025, Eric Yonkers of the Southwest Michigan Chapter has been chosen to receive a complimentary two-person ticket package to Cadillac Racing V-Corral & Hospitality Suite Event of his choice in 2026 (approximately a $1,000 value). Eric has been an active member since 2022 and successfully recruited 26 members including Cole Cadillac of Portege, MI as a Platinum sponsoring Cadillac Dealer during the past year.  He has demonstrated an exceptional leadership commitment within his local chapter and has attended multiple Cadillac Racing national events with many of his local chapter members.   I also want to take a moment to thank all of our Cadillac Platinum Dealers, Sponsors, Preferred Partners and our members for the continued support this past year. We appreciate the passion, comradery, and commitment everyone has invested and look forward to hosting events and activities that allow each of our members the opportunity to take their ownership experience to a higher level in 2026! Congratulations to all prize and award winners! For those of you who were fortunate (and fast enough) to secure a ticket package to attend the upcoming Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona race, we have 66 members who purchased the two-person ticket package and 54 of those members are participating in the Road Rally cruise to Daytona by driving their V-Series vehicle to park in the Cadillac V-Corral and take parade laps around the track. If you have not recently visited VSeriesMarketplace.com, check out the new CarSearchPro VSM feature. Visitors to the website now have the ability to quickly locate and view every V-Series vehicle listed for sale by our Platinum Cadillac Dealers.

After 5 years of outstanding volunteer service and leadership, Felicia Smith has decided to step down as OKC Chapter Director.  Felicia & Aaron will both remain as active members of the Cadillac V-Club. I am excited to announce Chris Atkinson as the new OKC Chapter Director effective as of January 1.  Chris has been an active member of the Cadillac V-Club since October of 2021.

Chris says that from the time he was young he loved anything with an engine. He grew up with his Grandpa working on semi trucks and always having GM vehicles around. He enjoys anything that can be driven or ridden from first 600cc sport bike at 18 to the logical next step at 20 going to a 1300cc Hayabusa. Chris moved on from riding street bikes and now focuses on cars. He has a mix of vehicles, with his wife Misty owning a 2004 Cosmos Purple GTO on which Chris installed his LSA blower and Brembo brakes. His daughter Claire is in love with VW’s and currently drives a bright yellow 2000 VW Beetle while his son Warren (almost 13) has a 2004 Yellow Jacket GTO. Chris still owns first vehicle, a 1970 C10 pickup and some other interesting vehicles like a 1939 Pontiac Silver Streak that was the last car his dad built before he passed.

Professionally, Chris works for Bavius Technologies, a German high speed 5 axis machine tool builder, mainly used by aerospace to produce large aluminum structures. He has worked in service for them for 13 years and is currently in the process of transitioning to a Service Manager position.

Chris had always wanted to own a CTS-V station wagon and in 2020 got the opportunity to buy one. Shortly after acquiring the V-Wagon, he met a group of Rocky Mountain Race Week cars passing through his hometown and knew that was his future with the car. Chris heavily modified his V-Wagon and has competed successfully in numerous drag racing events. In fact, Chris won the V8 Pro Street class at the 2023 Cadillac V-Racing Top Gun Invitational event at Texas Motorplex.

Ownership of the V-Wagon and membership in the V-Club has led Chris to build close relationships with numerous members. As such, when Chris learned that Felicia had decided to "pass the torch", Chris felt led to volunteer to carry on the momentum established by Felicia who volunteered to serve in the leadership role back in 2020.  He is looking forward to the serving in the Operational Leadership Team position, planning events and recruiting new members and local sponsors.

Attached below is a photo of Chris's CTS-V Wagon. 

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We are pleased to announce the appointment of Bruce Grout as the newest member of our Operational Leadership Team (OLT).  Bruce will serve as Director of the South Florida (SOFLO) Chapter which will includes Miami/Fort Lauderdale and the Gold Coast area of Florida.  He resides in Jupiter, Florida and has been an active member of the Cadillac V-Club since March of 2023.  Bruce brings a unique blend of leadership, track experience, and passion to this role.

Bruce purchased his 1st car at age 15 (even though he did not yet have a driver's license) which was a yellow 1970 Mustang fastback. That was his first, and last Ford product! He has been a loyal GM customer from that point forward.

In his 20's, Bruce launched an automotive and marine repair shop that grew into a successful business. Corvettes and muscle cars were his primary market segment. A dozen years later after dreading another Northeast cold winter he decided to sell the business and move to where many people take vacation, sunny South Florida!

The boating bug hit him hard as a new resident of South Florida and he has been a successful yacht Broker for decades with many satisfied clients. During his time  in South Florida, Bruce has campaigned a National Offshore catamaran racing team winning many races and championships. After retiring from boat racing (and never going swimming) he turned to road racing, which he considers one of his better life decisions. Racing mostly Corvettes new and old, he captured numerous wins, and 3 championships in his competition class.

The Cadillac "V" obsession hit Bruce in 2011 when he purchased his first CTS-V. He was hooked! Bruce has owned a several V's over the years. In 2019 he engaged Callaway Cars to build a custom supercharged and lowered Escalade which he still drives most every day.

In 2023, Bruce purchased his first Blackwing, a rift metallic CT5-V Blackwing with sky cool grey interior. He loved that car but later purchased a 2024 CT4-V Blackwing Arrival Edition which he subsequently traded for a deep space metallic 2026 CT5-V Blackwing (he missed owning a V8 and he really liked the updates and new larger dash). Bruce is looking forward to getting some miles on his Blackwing and then taking it to Sebring and Daytona to fully exercise the engine and brakes!

Attached below is a photo of Bruce's CT5-V Blackwing.

Our 2025 Newsletter to provide a recap of Cadillac V-Club activities and events from the past 12 months is now available.

Click the above image to view the online version of our Newsletter which also includes a link in the top right-hand corner to a PDF version that is downloadable and printable for offline viewing. 

To scroll this this online version, use your mouse to click on the bottom right hand corner of the "flip book".  You can also view the Newsletter in full screen mode.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Hedden as our newest member of the Management Operational Leadership Team.  Andrew will serve as our Membership Services Director.  He resides in Austin, Texas which is now the headquarters of the Cadillac V-Club.  Andrew brings a unique blend of technical leadership, non-profit experience, and automotive passion to this role.

Andrew most recently served as a Software Engineering Manager focusing on reliability and resiliency for a global leader in the job search marketplace. Prior to that, he spent 10 years working for a leading software provider to the NGO and non-profit space. If you have ever participated in a run, walk, or bike-based fundraiser, there is a good chance a system Andrew worked on processed those donations.

Andrew's journey with Cadillac began with a 2004 CTS-V purchased on impulse from Facebook Marketplace. Drawn to the sharp lines that gave the impression of "a brute in a business suit," he was immediately captivated by the performance and refinement of the V-Series sedans. Though the first CTS-V proved to be a basket case of issues, Andrew ensured it found a good home with a car enthusiast at a dealership parts department where it continues as a semi-daily driver, keeping another original CTS-V on the road.

The love for V-Series performance never wavered. After months of searching, Andrew found a 2024 20th Anniversary Edition CT5-V Blackwing in Raven Black at a dealership in Denver. The car had been sold back to the dealer with just a few hundred miles on the odometer. According to Andrew, "The wait for it to be shipped to Texas felt like the longest part of the process." The Blackwing remains stock for now, a testament to the exceptional engineering that comes from the factory.

Andrew has been a member of the Cadillac V-Club for just over a year and commented, "I am looking forward to being of service to our membership to help every member recognize and take advantage of the benefits we offer."  We are excited to have Andrew leading our member services efforts and are confident his dedication will help strengthen our community and maximize the value members receive from their V-Club membership.

Andrew will be managing all aspects of the prospective member review & approval process, membership renewals, retention and attrition analysis.  He will also be evaluating and implementing new standard operating procedures to improve our overall membership services and support efficiency through the automation of manual tasks.  

Attached below is a photo of Andrew's CT5-V Blackwing. 

We are excited to announce the official launch of the Charleston Chapter of the Cadillac V-Club.  Based in Charleston, South Carolina this will be our 22nd local chapter.  Brian Rheault has been appointed as the Chapter Director. Many people on Instagram will recognize Brian by his Instagram name "RooKie55".  Brian will now also be managing the Charleston Local Chapter Facebook Group which is now "live".  Brian is a USAF Veteran, joined the United States Air Force in 2004 and spent 10 years on active duty as an AMMO Troup with multiple deployments. He is currently a Construction Project Manager for the County where he resides and has been married to Chelsea since April, 2014. They have one daughter, Gracie who is 8yrs old. Brian has always been a car fanatic which started with a Bright Red 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GT coupe that he spent countless hours (and lots of money) with a goal to build the loudest stereo possible. From there, it spiraled into customization such as air ride suspension, custom wheels, and truly making the cars he owns a representation of him. Brian's 2019 Crystal White Tri-Coat CTS-V is his first Cadillac V-Series car and according to Brian, "he loves it"!  He purchased the vehicle in February of 2023 with just 12,100 miles on the odometer. It spent the first 4,500 miles of its life as a track car for V-Academy at pring Mountain so if you attended as a student in September of 2021 and drove a Crystal White Tricoat CTS-V, there is a good chance it was Brian's V! He has modified his CTS-V with loads of carbon fiber, subtle engine mods, tuned on an E-85 blend, AirLift suspension, custom interior ambient lighting, LowGlow underflow lighting, teal accents, and more. Brian commented "I am excited and honored to be the founding chapter director of the new Charleston, SC chapter and I am looking forward to planning and scheduling activities and events for our members."  Brian will be hosting his first official event in early December so if you are a member of the Charleston Chapter, watch your email inbox for an invitation to RSVP register!" With the launch of this new local chapter, all Cadillac V-Club regional members who reside within 150 miles of Charleston have been upgraded to a local chapter level membership at no additional cost for the duration of their current term of membership. Photo of Brian's CTS-V.

The Cadillac V-Club is hosting its annual Cadillac Racing Team experience event at the Circuit of Americas in Austin, Texas this coming weekend.  This will be our 2nd WEC event at CoTA where 50 members will be treated to a VIP experience that includes VIP parking, parade laps, 2 day suite access and paddock/pit access.  Fifty members purchased a discounted ticket package that was subsidized as a benefit of membership in the V-Club. For more details, click here.

Following the dominating performance in the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) campaign in São Paulo, Brazil, the twin Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.Rs head to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Central Texas with intentions of lassoing a third consecutive pole and repeating the dual podium celebration.  

“Obviously, the team is on a complete high from the 1-2 in Brazil, so we're hoping for more good things,” said Bamber, who has two victories at COTA (IMSA GTLM class in 2016 and WEC LMP1 in 2017). “And I think we've just got to keep pestering that top five with both cars and then chipping away. Closing that gap is going to be tough. But if we're always in the top five and we're always there, we know we're going to be closing in points and scoring big points.”

Last year, in the WEC’s return to the circuit for the first time since 2020 when Nato co-drove to the overall victory, Cadillac Racing’s lone Hypercar entry driven by Bamber and Lynn qualified third and finished a season-high fourth.

Incentives abound entering the Lone Star Le Mans this weekend at the 5.513 km (3.426-mile), 20-turn circuit that’s a favorite amongst drivers and always delivers entertaining racing for spectators. With three events remaining, the six-hour race could be another springboard:

• Cadillac is a program-high second in the Manufacturers’ Championship, and has sliced the deficit to Ferrari from 107 to 55 points the past two races in moving up from fifth.
• The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R roster of Alex Lynn, Norman Nato and Will Stevens is third in the Drivers’ Championship after their Brazil victory from pole – a scant 25 points behind second place and 37 points out of the top spot.
• The No. 12 entry, which is the only Hypercar to compete in Hyperpole in every race (Hyperpole2 at Le Mans) and has qualified in the top five in four of the five races (with poles at Le Mans and São Paulo), will aim to extend the streak.
• The No. 12 hybrid racecar has scored points in every race, including fifth, fourth and first the past three outings.
• The No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, which recorded the runner-up finish in Brazil with Earl Bamber, Sebastien Bourdais and Jenson Button behind the wheel, has advanced to Hyperpole in four of the five races and qualified second at Le Mans and São Paulo. They’ll look to move to the top step and add to the championship points total.

We have partnered with Dream Giveaway to help raise money for kids and veterans charities. Please check out their message below and with your donation you too can help support these very important causes with a chance of winning some very cool vehicles.

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The Cadillac V-Corral/Suite ticket packages sold out in less than 5 minutes today when they went on sale at 12:00 noon Eastern Time.  Several Cadillac V-Cub members where fortunate to purchase ticket packages before all available tickets were acquired.   Unfortunately, the number of ticket packages available is restricted by the size of the suites and this year the demand for tickets significantly exceeded availability.

The exclusive three-day Cadillac V-Performance Racing experience includes:

• 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 views of the entire circuit
• Exclusive opportunity to drive your Cadillac on the track at Daytona International Speedway
• 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

For additional information on upcoming Cadillac V-Corral ticket package opportunities at IMSA events visit CadillacRacingVIP.com .