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Getting schooled at the Cadillac V-Performance Academy

I spent two days at Spring Mountain Raceway outside of Las Vegas, Nevada to get my learning on in Cadillac's performance models.

Emme Hall
I love two-seater, RWD convertibles and own a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata for pavement fun and a lifted 2001 Miata for pre-running. I race air-cooled Volkswagens in desert races like the Mint 400 and the Baja 1000. I have won the Rebelle Rally, seven-day navigational challenge, twice and I am the only driver to compete in an EV, the Rivian R1T.
Emme Hall
Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Car for the day

My steed for the day, the 2017 Cadillac ATS-V.

Getting tips
Getting tips
1:47
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Getting tips

Receiving some instruction at the wet figure-eight at the V-Performance Academy

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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A wet track

A lesson in weight transfer. 

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Beautiful place to drive

The CTS-V strikes a fine pose on Spring Mountain Raceway. 

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Learning time

Classroom time is an integral part of the V-Performance Academy. 

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Nimble driver

The ATS-V proved to be quite nimble around the track, and almost as fast as the larger CTS-V. 

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Track sessions

Each track session is done in a lead-follow format. 

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Accessible teachers

Personalized instruction is hallmark of the V-Performance Academy. 

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Line of cars

Follow the leader!

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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In Nevada

Spring Mountain Raceway is located outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
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Cadillac V-Performance Academy

Cosworth Toolbox
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Cosworth Toolbox

At the end of the day the Cosworth Toolbox helps make sense of all the numbers from the Performance Data Recorder. These are the stats from my fastest lap. 

Cosworth Toolbox
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Slightly outdated map

Unfortunately, Cosworth Toolbox uses Bing maps, which hasn't updated in a while. Here it looks like we took a turn in the dirt, while in reality Spring Mountain altered the corner a bit... four years ago. 

Cosworth Toolbox
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More data

Tire pressures and temperatures for a session. 

Cosworth Toolbox
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Compare stats

The toolbox lets you overlay comparison data. Here the instructor's stats are in orange, mine in blue. My line is pretty spot on, though I'm significantly slower. 

Cosworth Toolbox
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Braking data

You can see from the graph that my braking is a bit off. Each burst of data should start high and descend. A few of my braking data sets are the opposite. 

Cosworth Toolbox
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Health data

The Cadillac ATS-V kept its health throughout my track sessions. No overheating here!

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