Category Archives: motorsport
VIDEO: Toyota Motorsport GmbH’s warehouse
Located beneath a wind tunnel at Toyota Motorposrt GmbH in Koln, Germany is a warehouse of cars worth far more than their weight in gold. From a WRC Celica GT-4 in Castrol livery to the sole GT-One road car, it’s a Gran Turismo player’s … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Nissan puts the “LM” back in GT-R
JNC owners, myself included, love to spout on about the superiority of rear-wheel-drive to anyone that will listen (and many whom won’t). Nissan wants to prove all of us wrong with a front-wheel-drive GT-R. No, that is not a typo. The latest evolution … Continue reading
Detroit Auto Show: The coolest car there could have been a fake
The Honda RA272 is a legend. It brought Old Man Soichiro his first Formula One trophy in 1965, only three years after his company began building cars. It is such a revered car that the company rarely even shows it in Japan. … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Happy 30th Anniversary, NISMO
In September 1984 Nissan Motorsports was established in Omori, Tokyo. It’s been 30 years of top-level racing on an international stage under the NISMO banner and the company is celebrating.
Posted in motorsport
Tagged datsun, datsun 210, gt-r, le mans, NISMO, nissan, r32, skyline
9 Comments
EVENTS: Monterey Historics, Part 04 — Running a Datsun 240Z at the Rolex Motorsports Reunion
Today’s guest writer is Alvin Gogineni, a member of the Z Car Garage team that restored and worked as pit crew for Joel Anderson’s No. 49 IMSA Datsun 240Z at the Rolex Motorsports Reunion. —Ben If it’s the smell of 110 octane, … Continue reading
VIDEO: Australia’s Nissan’s Motorsports History
Nissan’s racing exploits in Japan, the US and even Africa should be at least somewhat familiar to long-time JNC readers by now. However, the automaker was hugely influential in the motorsports history of Australia as well. R30 and R31 Skylines were manufactured locally, Nissan racing legend … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport, Video
Tagged australia, Bathurst, bluebird, george fury, masahiro hasemi, nissan, skyline
4 Comments
MOTORSPORT: Why Ayrton Senna is a Japanese hero
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Ayrton Senna‘s death at Imola. Not only was he one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, he was the first gaijin driver to be truly embraced by the Japanese. Here’s why.
VIDEO: 8-second kujira Crown
So you find one of the rarest Toyotas ever to make landfall in the US, and what do you do? Tub it out, drop in a 2JZ bored .40 over with HKS 280 cams, and take it to the strip, … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Perhaps the greatest Mazda collectibles of all time
There are rare collectibles and there are rare collectibles. What you see here are perhaps the greatest pieces of memorabilia a Mazdafarian could ever want. You know the story of the Mazda 787B. Winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans … Continue reading
Happy 80th Birthday, Nissan!
Nissan Motor Corporation was founded 80 years ago today, on December 26, 1933. Starting with just one 12-horsepower model, the company set forth into the world. Through eight decades of triumphs and hardships, it has given the world some of the … Continue reading
BOOKS: Inside Shelby American by John Morton
We suspect that while most readers will be buying the new book Inside Shelby American to learn about Carroll Shelby, JNCers will be buying it for its author, legendary race car driver John Morton.
Posted in Books, motorsport, nissan
Tagged 240z, 510, bre, carroll shelby, datsun, john morton, nissan, s30
3 Comments
MOTORSPORT: Joginder Singh, Mitsubishi Rally Pioneer, 1932-2013
The Mitsubishi world recently lost one of its greats. In 1974 Joginder Singh, behind the wheel of a Lancer GSR 1600, brought the Triple Diamond Syndicate its first major international rally victory by winning the Safari Rally. Then he did it again in … Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, motorsport, News
Tagged a73, Joginder Singh, lancer, mitsubishi, motorsport, rally, safari rally
6 Comments
MINICARS: Hot Wheels BRE Datsun 510, a Red Line Club Exclusive
On Tuesday at 9am Pacific Time, Hot Wheels will be releasing a limited edition, online-only version of the legendary BRE Datsun 510. Here’s how to get yours. UPDATE: The car has sold out in a little under 2 hours. Better … Continue reading
Posted in minicars, motorsport, nissan
Tagged 510, bluebird, bre, datsun, hot wheels, john morton, minicars, nissan
16 Comments
MOTORSPORT: Mazda is the official car of the SCCA
Mazda often boasts that on any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on racetracks than any other marque. As such, it was already the de facto car of the SCCA, but now it’s officially official. Mazda is the car of the Sports … Continue reading
Posted in mazda, motorsport
Tagged 787, demio, fb, fd, grand-am, imsa, mazda, mazda 2, mazda 6, miata, motorsport, mx-5, mx-6, rx-7, sa22, scca, yojiro terada
13 Comments
MOTORSPORT: The Reincarnation of Lady Blue
Anyone who grew up drooling over the Datsun Motorsports catalog knows the original Lady Blue. Going along with the topic of resurrection this week, it appears that she’s been reincarnated and the azure 1973 Datsun 610 spotted last Sunday.
Posted in motorsport, nissan
Tagged 610, B-Sedan, Balboa Datsun, Blue Lady, bluebird, Laguna Seca, nissan
23 Comments
MOTORSPORT: Remembering Funabashi Circuit
If you’ve ever taken the JR Keiyo train from downtown Tokyo to Makuhari Messe for the Auto Salon or Tokyo Motor Show, you’ve passed over the former grounds of Funabashi Circuit. Like much of Japan in 1965 Funabashi city was … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged datsun, fairlady roadster, Funabashi Circuit, honda, Motoharu Kurosawa, motorsports, s600, s800, sports 1600, sports 800, tojiro ukiya, toyota
9 Comments
MOTORSPORT: Mazda 787B Named Le Mans car of the 1990s by Automobile Club de l’Ouest Jury
France’s Automobile Club de l’Ouest, the organizing body behind the 24 Hours of Le Mans, recently announced the 10 race cars they believe to be most emblematic of the legendary race. One car was chosen to represent each decade of … Continue reading
Posted in mazda, motorsport, motorsports
Tagged 787b, le mans, mazda, motorsports, yojiro terada
4 Comments
Honda and Mazda Team Up to Make Small Cars Fun (Again)
In recent years, the biggest disappointment for Japanese car enthusiasts has been the lack of fun, especially the affordable kind. Gone are the RSXs and MR2s, and aside from the Mazda MX-5, what else is there for the average Joe? … Continue reading
Posted in honda, mazda, motorsport
Tagged b-spec, fit, honda, mazda, mazda 2, motorsports, thunderhill
10 Comments
No Pistons, No AWD: Mazda RX-7 Rally Car
The first-gen Mazda RX-7 has competed in many forms of motorsport, from IMSA enduros to drag racing to touring car challenges. Here it is on dirt, with gratuitous helicopter tracking shots. Video after the jump. Hat tip to Andrew P.
