V8: Nissan Announces Return With Kelly Racing For 2013
After a 20-year absence from the Australian Touring Car Championship, Nissan Motorsport (Australia) will run four cars with V8 Supercar team Kelly Racing.
The Kelly Racing organization took a major step forward in 2011, and will now spearhead Nissan's return to Australia's leading tin-top category in 2013. (Photo: Kelly Racing)
In one of the most significant events in V8 Supercar history Japanese car giant Nissan will join the pinnacle of Australian motorsport and touring car racing by entering the Championship from 2013.
After a 20-year absence from the Australian Touring Car Championship, Nissan Motorsport (Australia) will run four cars with up and coming V8 Supercar team Kelly Racing.
From 2013, Kelly Racing will campaign as Nissan Motorsport – a formalised factory team.
The announcement was made in Melbourne today by Nissan Australia Managing Director and CEO Dan Thompson; Ian Moreillon, Executive General Manager, Sales and Fleet, Nissan Australia; V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane, and; V8 Supercar CEO David Malone.
They were joined by V8 Supercar Commission Chairman Mark Skaife; Kelly Racing Chairman John Crennan, and; Kelly Racing co-owner-drivers Todd and Rick Kelly.
Nissan is the first manufacturer to take advantage of the Car of the Future program which virtually two years ago to the day was unveiled with an aim to cutting running costs and encouraging other marques to compete, in turn broadening fan and sponsor appeal.
Nissan's decision confirms that the Car of the Future program is high on the agenda of V8 Supercar teams and potential new manufacturers.
V8 Supercars expects more manufacturers to follow Nissan's lead given the high profile of the sport domestically and internationally. The sport intends to grow to 18 events world-wide (up from the present 15 Championship events) across 40 weeks in the coming years.
The first Car of the Future prototypes were unveiled at the Sydney Telstra 500 just last December.
Nissan's entry into the V8 Supercar Championship reflects its brand promises of “innovation and excitement”: innovation with the Car of the Future program, and excitement through the attraction and popularity of V8 Supercars.
It also believes the sport will add significant momentum to its primary and corporate brand profile in Australia.
Nissan is highly acclaimed and successful in global motorsport, its products having won the European-based FIA GT1 Drivers’ Championship, Japanese SuperGT Championship and the LMP2 class (1st and 2nd) at Le Mans last year.
Managing Director and CEO of Nissan Australia Dan Thompson said: “We plan to use our presence in the series to strengthen our passenger car credentials in Australia.
“Nissan believes that, alongside Ford and Holden, we possess the most convincing motorsport DNA and track history in Australia, making a V8 Supercars debut in 2013 an obvious initiative.
“We are targeting No.1 importer status in Australia and already making progress towards that as one of the country’s fastest growing brands. V8 Supercars will boost that momentum.”
V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane, who announced the Car of the Future program in March 2010, said it confirmed the global demand for V8 Supercars by manufacturers and destinations was very real.“We welcome Nissan with more than open arms,” Mr Cochrane said.
“This announcement confirms all we have known about V8 Supercars for a long, long time – that we are truly an international player, an extraordinarily popular sport amongst fans globally and in great demand by big business and corporate players.
“I applaud Kelly Racing for this pioneering move to embrace Nissan and take one of the world’s biggest brands on their journey within the V8 Supercar Championship. Todd and Rick are truly remarkable businessmen, visionaries and drivers.”
Kelly Racing will from 2013 be a fully-fledged Nissan factory team developing its own cars and engines, utilising the global resources of the giant NISMO motorsport organisation.
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