Nissan signs two-year Supercar deal

Nissan Australia has gained the approval of its global motorsport department to extend its local Supercar campaign for two years.

The boss of the local operation, Richard Emery, announced the two-year extension in conjunction with Todd and Rick Kelly’s Nissan Motorsport operation this morning at Sandown on the eve of the opening round of the Pirtek Cup endurance series.

Nissan has formally committed to the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. It has signed a new two-year agreement with the Kelly family-owned race team for the seasons to field four Nissan Altima Supercars.

Emery also confirmed Michael Caruso will drive the factory-sponsored #23 NISMO Nissan Altima Supercar for the next two years. Todd and Rick Kelly are yet to formally confirm their position as drivers for the 2017 season.

Emery said the Kelly-run Nissan Motorsport and Nismo, Nissan’s global performance and racing arm, would work together to develop a “potential alternative package” to replace the V8 Altima under the Supercar category’s next generation rules. Emery would not comment further on the specifics of the program.

Nissan’s commitment to Australian motorsport will be extended via a two GT-R assault on the Bathurst 12 Hour GT endurance event in 2017. The company may also compete in the local Australian GT Championship conditional upon the availability of Aussie gamer-to-racer, Matt Simmons.

“Motorsport is in the DNA of Nissan, both here in Australia and globally,” Emery stated.

“When Nissan first opened for business in Australia in 1966, one of the first things we did was to go motor racing. Our motorsport program is a way for us to show people what the Nissan brand stands for – through the excitement of our race cars and the innovative and inclusive nature of our fan activations,” he said.

The extension has the blessing of Nissan’s new global motorsport boss, Global Motorsports Director, Michael Carcamo.

“We are very proud of our global approach to motorsport and today’s announcements for Australia really showcase our brand, both locally and internationally,” said Nissan

“The Supercars Championship is one of the most high-profile sporting events of any kind in Australia and Nissan has tremendous heritage and a huge fan base in this series.

“Our efforts in the Bathurst 12-Hour over the past two years have further intrinsically linked Mount Panorama and the GT-R. They already had incredible history together but this has now gone to a new level,” Carcamo stated via a video at this morning’s announcement.

Emery said Nissan will continue to work with the local Supercar series to evolve media opportunities and activations. He stated the championship needed “to work hard” to gain new fans.