Nissan R90C
Encyclopedia
The Nissan R90C was either of two Group C
racing cars built in 1990 for Nissan Motors
for competition in World Sportscar Championship
(WSC) based in Europe and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
(JSPC). The cars based on the basic R90C platform would compete until 1993 before Nissan chose to withdraw from sports car racing, not returning until 1997. It won three JSPC championships as well as several significant endurance races during its career.
. Most of the chassis construction was the same, as well as the mechanical layout. The Nissan VRH35Z
3.5 litre twin-turbo V8 that had debuted in the R89C was proven successful and kept as part of the R90C's design. Although mechanically similar, the cars were nearly all new constructions, leading to chassis builder Lola Cars International terming the cars T90/10, while the R89Cs had been T89/10.
Unlike the R89C, Nissan felt that the car was a compromise. At the time, Nissan competed with the R89Cs in both the World Sportscar Championship and All Japan Sports Prototype Championships. The types of courses used by each series differed in style, with the European tracks requiring higher top speed and endurance while the Japanese events were run on small, tighter courses and shorter racers.
This led Nissan to actually develop two different cars. Although Lola built the basic chassis, Nissan Motorsports Europe would construct the rest of the R90CK in their shops with the intentions of creating a low downforce, high speed variant for the WSC. At the same time, R90CP would be built at Nismo's headquarters in Japan in a higher downforce layout that was better suited to the JSPC. This gave each of the two cars a unique design that is noticeably different.
Nissan planthttp://www.nissan.co.jp/INFO/FACTORY/OPPAMA/ where Nismo
is based) on the other hand appeared to favor a low downforce design. The front of the car would feature a higher nose, with the narrow channels eliminated and replaced with large ducts on the inside of the fender. The fenders themselves were also redesigned, with headlights placed vertically instead of the horizontal design on the R89C and R90CK. The cockpit of the R90CK was identical to its R90CP sibling, yet the sides of the bodywork would be changed. Most notably, the rear-view mirrors were integrated into the bodywork on the fender, instead of small exposed mirrors on the side of the windshield. The rear fender would also be different in that the turbo inlet would be placed on the front edge of the fender, instead of on top of the engine cover on the R90CK. For the rear wing, it would be placed much lower on the car, with the rear wheel fender bodywork extending to connect with the rear wing endplates, similar to a style used on the Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo
in North America.
. However Nismo planned to continue competition in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
, and decided to upgrade the R90CPs to better compete with Toyota and Mazda
. The new cars, known as R91CP and R91VP, would have slight modifications over the previous car. Most notably, the boxy turbo inlets which had been placed on the rear fenders of the R90CP were made into smaller slits, while a large snorkel was added to the top of the engine cover to better feed the engine. The cars would be further modified for 1992 with an upgraded VRH35Z twin-turbo V8, while the cars were renamed R92CP.
For the R90CKs, Nissan ran them mostly at the 24 Hours of Daytona
following their retirement from the World Sportscar Championship at the end of 1990. For the 1992 running of Daytona, the R90CKs would have their VRH35Z engines replaced with smaller 3.0L twin-turbo V8s, although they would not be as successful as the race winning R91CP.
Three other unique R90Cs were cars that were based on existing cars but modified. One R89C was upgraded to become an R90CP, originally used by Nissan in the JSPC before all cars were completed. Nova Engineering purchased chassis #07 from Lola and initiated their own upgrades to the chassis, calling the car a R91CK. The final modified car was an R90CP bought by Team Le Mans and modified into what they termed the R91VP. Both cars featured minor aerodynamic differences from the other R90CKs and R90CPs.
was held at Suzuka Circuit
in Japan, the new R90CKs intended for the series would not be completed in time for the event, leaving the previous Nissan R89C
s to be run by the European team. A lone JSPC R90CP was run by the Japanese team but did not finish. By the second round of the season at Monza
, the first three R90CK chassis would be completed with Brits Kenny Acheson
, Julian Bailey
, and Mark Blundell
joining Italian Gianfranco Brancatelli
as the driving line-up. Although both cars ran well, one would not have enough fuel to reach the end of the race. The second team car would however manage to finish, taking seventh place.
Both cars ran towards the top of the field once more at Silverstone
before a suspension failure and fuel problems eliminated both cars in the final few laps. The team would finally see some success at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
though, with both cars finishing and the Acheson and Bailey car taking third place, two minutes behind the winning Mercedes-Benz
. The driver line-ups were switched for Dijon
, but the new Bailey and Blundell duo once again took a podium.
Although the Nissans would not podium at the Nürburgring
, the team managed to bring home both cars in the top ten for the first time. As the season went on, the team continued to improve, with Donington Park
seeing both cars finish in the top six, with Acheson and Brancatelli finishing fourth. This success was however aided by the post-race disqualification of both Jaguar
s that had finished ahead of the Nissans.
At the fly-away round at Montreal
, the R90CKs would manage to take their best finish so far that season. The race had to be stopped early due to dangerous conditions, but at the time the Nissan of Bailey and Blundell were running only six seconds behind the leading Mercedes-Benz, earning the team second place when the red flag was shown; the second car took fifth. The good results for the team would continue into the final round of the season at Mexico City
with Bailey and Blundell taking second place once again, although this time two laps behind the winning Mercedes-Benz. Acheson and Brancatelli managed fourth place. In the teams championship, Nissan would take third place, a mere four points behind Jaguar. Julian Bailey
would be the highest ranking Nissan driver in the driver's championship, finishing the season in ninth place.
Following the 1990 season, Nissan chose to leave the World Sportscar Championship and concentrate on the JSPC and their efforts in the IMSA GT Championship
in North America. Nissans would only compete one other time before the World Sportscar Championship was abandoned after 1992, with Nova Engineering's R91CK running in an invitational class at the 1992 1000km of Suzuka
, finishing in fourth place.
. Japanese drivers Masahiro Hasemi
, Toshio Suzuki, and Kazuyoshi Hoshino
would join Swede Anders Olofsson as the factory drivers. The cars debuted at the 500 km of Fuji
and were immediately on pace, taking the second and fourth spots behind Toyota's also new 90C-V.
Following the cancellation of the second round at Fuji, a third race was later held, and Nissan was able to score their first win. Hasemi and Olofsson drove their car to a two lap victory over a Porsche 962
C, while the second car finished off the podium. Hoshino and Suzuki then took the next race win at the 1000km Suzuka, followed by Hasemi and Olofsson taking their second victory at Sugo. The final race of the JSPC season, once again at Fuji, would however break the Nissan's three race streak, with Toyota taking victory by just over a minute. The three race wins would be enough in the end to allow Nissan to win the manufacturer's championship, with all four Nissan drivers tying for the drivers championship.
By the third race at Fuji however, Toyota was able to improve their new car and take their first overall victory of the season, leaving Nissan to settle for second place, ten seconds behind, while the second team car was taken out in an accident. The 1000 km Suzuka saw further problems for the team as the Nova Engineering entry actually took second place ahead of the factory entry in third, several laps behind. A similar event occurred at the next round, with Nova Engineering ahead of Nissan, yet all cars managed to finish on the same lap as the winning Toyota.
Nissan managed to overcome Toyota at the 1000 km Fuji, winning by a minute even though the other three Nissans in the field were unable to finish. However, newcomer Jaguar
would manage to take victory at the final race of the year, leaving Toyota in second and Nissans in third and fourth, several laps behind the dominant Group C car. Even with its troubles, Nissan was able to overcome Toyota in the points championship, winning by three points. Kazuyoshi Hoshino and Toshio Suzuki won the drivers championship by a mere two points over Toyota's leading pair.
At the opening round at Suzuka
, no C class cars would compete, leaving Nissan open to take the race victory in the R92CP's debut, with Jeff Krosnoff
and Masahiko Kageyama replacing Anders Olofsson on the winning car's driver line-up. Nova's R91CK took second, ahead of a trio of new Toyota 92C-Vs. At the next round, the 1000 km Fuji, Mazda
's Mazda MXR-01
C class car would show, yet suffer reliability problems. Problems for Toyota as well allowed Nissan to take the top four spots.
The next race at Fuji would once again go to Nissan, as Hoshino and Suzuki would beat the fastest Toyota by over a minute. This would be repeated at Sugo, although Nissan would manage to take that victory by a mere three seconds. However, Toyota would bring their C class competitor, the TS010
to the second 1000 km Fuji, and easily take the win over the second place R92CP. A second TS010 would join at the final round at Mine, but Nissan chose to bring their C class competitor to the event as well, the NP35
. Even with five Nissans, they would not be able to overcome the Toyota challenge, as the TS010 once again took the win, leaving Nissans in second and third. Even with losing the final two rounds, Nissan was able to take the championship in their class, even though Toyota won the separate C class. Kazuyoshi Hoshino would take the solo drivers championship.
, where four R90CKs and one R90CP were joined by two older privateer R89C
s for an attempt at winning the race overall. The JSPC Nissan Motorsport team would run a lone R90CP, while the WSC Nissan Motorsports team would run their two new R90CKs. The American Nissan Performance Technology Inc. (NPTI) from the IMSA GT Championship
team would also run two R90CKs. Courage Compétition
and Team Le Mans would both run their older R89Cs. However the race would take its toll on the Nissans, and only three would finish. The lone R90CP of Masahiro Hasemi
, Kazuyoshi Hoshino
, and Toshio Suzuki would finish in fifth place, 11 laps behind the winning Jaguar
. The American R90CK would take 17th place, while Courage's older R89C would finish 22nd.
The R90CK was notable for achieving the highest straightline speed on the Mulsanne
straight at the Le Mans circuit following the installation of a sequence of tight serpentine curves (chicane
s). Mark Blundell
reached at 366 km/h (226.9 mph) on his pole position lap - 24.2 mph less than the previous record trap speed. The qualifying engine, normally capable of up to 1000 bhp, had jammed its wastegate
shut, leading the engineers to believe that the car was capable of 1100 bhp. Bob Earl
took the fastest lap during the race in the NPTI car at 3:40.030 This trap speed record with the chicanes in place still stands to this day. Even with this performance, Nissan would not return to Le Mans with their prototypes following their departure from the World Sportscar Championship at the end of 1990.
. Although part of the IMSA GT Championship
which was usually contested by Nissan's GTP ZX-Turbo, it was decided that the R90Cs were better suited for the Daytona endurance. Three R90CKs were entered in 1991 under an invitational class for Group C
cars. Although two failed to finish, the R90CK of Bob Earl
, Derek Daly
, Chip Robinson
, and Geoff Brabham
managed to finish first in class and in second place overall, although 18 laps behind the winning Joest Racing
Porsche 962
C.
Nissan would return in 1992, although with even more cars. Two R90CKs were modified with motors that allowed them to run the IMSA GTP class. The factory team also brought an R91CP from Japan, which would compete in the invitiational class. Privateer Nova Engineering Racing ("From-A" livery) would also come from Japan with their R91CK, also in the invitiational class. While the R90CKs suffered, the R91CP would manage to take the victory, nine laps ahead of a Jaguar
. Nova Engineering would also manage to take eighth place.
(JGTC) which had replaced the JSPC. Team Le Mans would enter a former factory R92CP, while Nova Engineering would run their R91CK. With a Spice
-Acura
as the only other prototype competitor, the two cars would easily take victory, with Team Le Mans ahead of Nova Engineering.
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
racing cars built in 1990 for Nissan Motors
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
for competition in World Sportscar Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
(WSC) based in Europe and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
(JSPC). The cars based on the basic R90C platform would compete until 1993 before Nissan chose to withdraw from sports car racing, not returning until 1997. It won three JSPC championships as well as several significant endurance races during its career.
Development
Mechanically, the R90Cs shared much with their predecessor, the R89CNissan R89C
The Nissan R89C was a Group C race car was developed by Nissan to participate in the World Sportscar Championship and All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, as well as the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans.-Development:...
. Most of the chassis construction was the same, as well as the mechanical layout. The Nissan VRH35Z
Nissan VRH35 engine
thumb|right|250px|VRH35Z Engine.The VRH35 is 3.5L V8 piston engine from Nissan.It was developed newly by Yoshimasa Hayashi.V=V engine configuration R=Racing H=The eighth of the alphabet = Eight cylinders-1987:...
3.5 litre twin-turbo V8 that had debuted in the R89C was proven successful and kept as part of the R90C's design. Although mechanically similar, the cars were nearly all new constructions, leading to chassis builder Lola Cars International terming the cars T90/10, while the R89Cs had been T89/10.
Unlike the R89C, Nissan felt that the car was a compromise. At the time, Nissan competed with the R89Cs in both the World Sportscar Championship and All Japan Sports Prototype Championships. The types of courses used by each series differed in style, with the European tracks requiring higher top speed and endurance while the Japanese events were run on small, tighter courses and shorter racers.
This led Nissan to actually develop two different cars. Although Lola built the basic chassis, Nissan Motorsports Europe would construct the rest of the R90CK in their shops with the intentions of creating a low downforce, high speed variant for the WSC. At the same time, R90CP would be built at Nismo's headquarters in Japan in a higher downforce layout that was better suited to the JSPC. This gave each of the two cars a unique design that is noticeably different.
R90CK
The R90CK would appear as an evolution of the R89C's design, borrowing many stylistic elements which had been used before. The front end of the car was low, with two deep channels on either side of a slanted nose leading to radiator inlets on the sides of the cockpit. Small slated inlets would also be placed on the leading edge of the car, partially feeding brake cooling ducts. The cockpit would feature a longer raked windshield then the R89C, yet the areas around the cockpit would remain nearly identical, including the sides of the car. At the rear, the rear wing would be mounted high on exposed struts for better downforce.R90CP
The R90CP ("P" referring to the OppamaOppama
Oppama may refer to:*Oppama, a location in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan*Oppama Station, a train station on the Keikyū Main Line in Japan*Oppama Base/Oppama Test Facility, a fictional location in the anime series Sky Girls...
Nissan planthttp://www.nissan.co.jp/INFO/FACTORY/OPPAMA/ where Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
is based) on the other hand appeared to favor a low downforce design. The front of the car would feature a higher nose, with the narrow channels eliminated and replaced with large ducts on the inside of the fender. The fenders themselves were also redesigned, with headlights placed vertically instead of the horizontal design on the R89C and R90CK. The cockpit of the R90CK was identical to its R90CP sibling, yet the sides of the bodywork would be changed. Most notably, the rear-view mirrors were integrated into the bodywork on the fender, instead of small exposed mirrors on the side of the windshield. The rear fender would also be different in that the turbo inlet would be placed on the front edge of the fender, instead of on top of the engine cover on the R90CK. For the rear wing, it would be placed much lower on the car, with the rear wheel fender bodywork extending to connect with the rear wing endplates, similar to a style used on the Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo
Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo
The Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo was a series of racing cars developed for Nissan Motors by Electramotive Engineering to compete in the IMSA GT Championship. Running from 1985 to 1990, they were known for being the first car to defeat the Porsche 962 which had dominated IMSA's premiere GTP category...
in North America.
Later versions
For 1991, Nissan officially withdrew from the World Sportscar ChampionshipWorld Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
. However Nismo planned to continue competition in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
, and decided to upgrade the R90CPs to better compete with Toyota and Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
. The new cars, known as R91CP and R91VP, would have slight modifications over the previous car. Most notably, the boxy turbo inlets which had been placed on the rear fenders of the R90CP were made into smaller slits, while a large snorkel was added to the top of the engine cover to better feed the engine. The cars would be further modified for 1992 with an upgraded VRH35Z twin-turbo V8, while the cars were renamed R92CP.
For the R90CKs, Nissan ran them mostly at the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
following their retirement from the World Sportscar Championship at the end of 1990. For the 1992 running of Daytona, the R90CKs would have their VRH35Z engines replaced with smaller 3.0L twin-turbo V8s, although they would not be as successful as the race winning R91CP.
Three other unique R90Cs were cars that were based on existing cars but modified. One R89C was upgraded to become an R90CP, originally used by Nissan in the JSPC before all cars were completed. Nova Engineering purchased chassis #07 from Lola and initiated their own upgrades to the chassis, calling the car a R91CK. The final modified car was an R90CP bought by Team Le Mans and modified into what they termed the R91VP. Both cars featured minor aerodynamic differences from the other R90CKs and R90CPs.
World Sportscar Championship
Although the opening round of the 1990 World Sportscar Championship season1990 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1990 World Sportscar Championship season was the 38th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship racing. It featured the 1990 FIA World Sports-Prototype Championship for Drivers and the 1990 FIA World Sports-Prototype Championship for Teams, both of which were contested over a series for cars...
was held at Suzuka Circuit
Suzuka Circuit
, Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...
in Japan, the new R90CKs intended for the series would not be completed in time for the event, leaving the previous Nissan R89C
Nissan R89C
The Nissan R89C was a Group C race car was developed by Nissan to participate in the World Sportscar Championship and All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, as well as the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans.-Development:...
s to be run by the European team. A lone JSPC R90CP was run by the Japanese team but did not finish. By the second round of the season at Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
, the first three R90CK chassis would be completed with Brits Kenny Acheson
Kenny Acheson
Kenneth Henry Acheson is a British former racing driver who participated during the 1983 and 1985 Formula One seasons for the RAM team. He completed only one of his three race starts, finishing in 12th position in the 1983 South African Grand Prix...
, Julian Bailey
Julian Bailey
Julian Bailey is a former Formula One driver who raced for the Tyrrell and Lotus teams.Although born in the United Kingdom, he was raised in Menorca, Spain, and became an accomplished Formula Ford 1600 racer in Britain, winning the important Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch...
, and Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell is a Formula One, sports car, and CART racing driver. He was a Formula One presenter for the British broadcaster ITV until the end of the 2008 season when the TV broadcasting rights switched to the BBC....
joining Italian Gianfranco Brancatelli
Gianfranco Brancatelli
Gianfranco Brancatelli is a former racing driver from Italy. His racing career began in 1973, in the Formula Abarth series. In 1975, he advanced to Italian Formula 3 racing...
as the driving line-up. Although both cars ran well, one would not have enough fuel to reach the end of the race. The second team car would however manage to finish, taking seventh place.
Both cars ran towards the top of the field once more at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
before a suspension failure and fuel problems eliminated both cars in the final few laps. The team would finally see some success at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...
though, with both cars finishing and the Acheson and Bailey car taking third place, two minutes behind the winning Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
. The driver line-ups were switched for Dijon
Dijon-Prenois
Dijon-Prenois is a motor racing circuit located in Prenois, near Dijon, France. The undulating track is noted for its fast, sweeping bends....
, but the new Bailey and Blundell duo once again took a podium.
Although the Nissans would not podium at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, the team managed to bring home both cars in the top ten for the first time. As the season went on, the team continued to improve, with Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
seeing both cars finish in the top six, with Acheson and Brancatelli finishing fourth. This success was however aided by the post-race disqualification of both Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
s that had finished ahead of the Nissans.
At the fly-away round at Montreal
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series....
, the R90CKs would manage to take their best finish so far that season. The race had to be stopped early due to dangerous conditions, but at the time the Nissan of Bailey and Blundell were running only six seconds behind the leading Mercedes-Benz, earning the team second place when the red flag was shown; the second car took fifth. The good results for the team would continue into the final round of the season at Mexico City
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named for the famous racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit got its name shortly after it opened when Ricardo Rodríguez died in practice for the non-Championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix...
with Bailey and Blundell taking second place once again, although this time two laps behind the winning Mercedes-Benz. Acheson and Brancatelli managed fourth place. In the teams championship, Nissan would take third place, a mere four points behind Jaguar. Julian Bailey
Julian Bailey
Julian Bailey is a former Formula One driver who raced for the Tyrrell and Lotus teams.Although born in the United Kingdom, he was raised in Menorca, Spain, and became an accomplished Formula Ford 1600 racer in Britain, winning the important Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch...
would be the highest ranking Nissan driver in the driver's championship, finishing the season in ninth place.
Following the 1990 season, Nissan chose to leave the World Sportscar Championship and concentrate on the JSPC and their efforts in the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
in North America. Nissans would only compete one other time before the World Sportscar Championship was abandoned after 1992, with Nova Engineering's R91CK running in an invitational class at the 1992 1000km of Suzuka
1992 1000km of Suzuka
The 1992 1000 km of Suzuka was the fifth race of the FIA Sportscar World Championship. It was run on August 30, 1992.This event allowed for cars from the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship to participate in their own class....
, finishing in fourth place.
1990
Differing from the WSC R90CKs, Nissan would use their R90CPs for the All Japan Sports Prototype ChampionshipAll Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
. Japanese drivers Masahiro Hasemi
Masahiro Hasemi
is a former racing driver and team owner from Japan. He started racing motocross when he was 15 years old. In 1964 he signed to drive for Nissan. After establishing himself in saloon car and GT races in Japan, he participated in his only Formula One race at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix for Kojima...
, Toshio Suzuki, and Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Kazuyoshi Hoshino
is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....
would join Swede Anders Olofsson as the factory drivers. The cars debuted at the 500 km of Fuji
Fuji Speedway
is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...
and were immediately on pace, taking the second and fourth spots behind Toyota's also new 90C-V.
Following the cancellation of the second round at Fuji, a third race was later held, and Nissan was able to score their first win. Hasemi and Olofsson drove their car to a two lap victory over a Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
C, while the second car finished off the podium. Hoshino and Suzuki then took the next race win at the 1000km Suzuka, followed by Hasemi and Olofsson taking their second victory at Sugo. The final race of the JSPC season, once again at Fuji, would however break the Nissan's three race streak, with Toyota taking victory by just over a minute. The three race wins would be enough in the end to allow Nissan to win the manufacturer's championship, with all four Nissan drivers tying for the drivers championship.
1991
For the 1991 season, Nissan upgraded their cars into the R91CPs, while some older cars were sold off to privateers. Nova Engineering upgraded their R90C to R91CK specification utilizing the Yatabe (Japan Automobile Research Institute—JARI) wind tunnel, while Team Le Mans bought an R90CP and modified it into their own R91VP. Keeping the same driver line-up as the previous season, the factory Nissan team proved the pace of the new R91CP by winning the opening round at Fuji, while the Nova Engineering entry took second, and Team Le Mans fourth. The second race at Fuji saw Nissan's main rival, Toyota, debut their new 91C-V, yet it would not be capable of fighting the R91CPs. Nissan took the top two positions with their factory cars, a lap ahead of the new 91C-V.By the third race at Fuji however, Toyota was able to improve their new car and take their first overall victory of the season, leaving Nissan to settle for second place, ten seconds behind, while the second team car was taken out in an accident. The 1000 km Suzuka saw further problems for the team as the Nova Engineering entry actually took second place ahead of the factory entry in third, several laps behind. A similar event occurred at the next round, with Nova Engineering ahead of Nissan, yet all cars managed to finish on the same lap as the winning Toyota.
Nissan managed to overcome Toyota at the 1000 km Fuji, winning by a minute even though the other three Nissans in the field were unable to finish. However, newcomer Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
would manage to take victory at the final race of the year, leaving Toyota in second and Nissans in third and fourth, several laps behind the dominant Group C car. Even with its troubles, Nissan was able to overcome Toyota in the points championship, winning by three points. Kazuyoshi Hoshino and Toshio Suzuki won the drivers championship by a mere two points over Toyota's leading pair.
1992
In what would become the final season of JSPC, Nissan would once again upgrade their cars into the R92CP. Nova Engineering retained their R91CK, while Team Le Mans would leave the series. Team Take One would take up their place with a former factory R91CP. For the 1992 season, the championship was actually divided into two classes, with the older Nissans running in C1, while cars which conformed with the 1992 World Sportscar Championship 3.5L engine specifications would run in C. This meant that although Nissan would be competing against newer and faster cars, they would still be able to compete for victories against competitors in their class.At the opening round at Suzuka
Suzuka Circuit
, Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...
, no C class cars would compete, leaving Nissan open to take the race victory in the R92CP's debut, with Jeff Krosnoff
Jeff Krosnoff
Jeffrey John Krosnoff was an American race car driver. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but grew up in La Cañada, California. Krosnoff attended Flintridge Prep, a private high school, and enrolled at University of California, San Diego in September 1982. After one year, he transferred to UCLA,...
and Masahiko Kageyama replacing Anders Olofsson on the winning car's driver line-up. Nova's R91CK took second, ahead of a trio of new Toyota 92C-Vs. At the next round, the 1000 km Fuji, Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
's Mazda MXR-01
Mazda MXR-01
The Mazda MXR-01 was a Group C sportscar used by Mazda's factory team Mazdaspeed in the 1992 World Sportscar Championship season. It would be the final Mazda entry in sportscars since the inception of their Le Mans project in 1983.-Development:...
C class car would show, yet suffer reliability problems. Problems for Toyota as well allowed Nissan to take the top four spots.
The next race at Fuji would once again go to Nissan, as Hoshino and Suzuki would beat the fastest Toyota by over a minute. This would be repeated at Sugo, although Nissan would manage to take that victory by a mere three seconds. However, Toyota would bring their C class competitor, the TS010
Toyota TS010
The Toyota TS010 was a Group C racing car built by Toyota for the Sportscar World Championship, All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.-History:...
to the second 1000 km Fuji, and easily take the win over the second place R92CP. A second TS010 would join at the final round at Mine, but Nissan chose to bring their C class competitor to the event as well, the NP35
Nissan P35
The Nissan P35 was a planned Group C car built by Nissan Motors for competition in the World Sportscar Championship. Developed by Nissan Performance Technology Inc. , which had formerly raced under the name Electramotive in the United States, the cars were intended to be completed by the middle of...
. Even with five Nissans, they would not be able to overcome the Toyota challenge, as the TS010 once again took the win, leaving Nissans in second and third. Even with losing the final two rounds, Nissan was able to take the championship in their class, even though Toyota won the separate C class. Kazuyoshi Hoshino would take the solo drivers championship.
24 Hours of Le Mans
Beyond the World Sportscar Championship and All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, Nissan's R90Cs have competed in various other events around the world. Most notably, at the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans1990 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 58th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 16 and 17 1990.-Pre-race:This was the first race after the installation of two chicanes along the Mulsanne Straight in an attempt to slow the prototypes down after speeds of were reached in previous...
, where four R90CKs and one R90CP were joined by two older privateer R89C
Nissan R89C
The Nissan R89C was a Group C race car was developed by Nissan to participate in the World Sportscar Championship and All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, as well as the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans.-Development:...
s for an attempt at winning the race overall. The JSPC Nissan Motorsport team would run a lone R90CP, while the WSC Nissan Motorsports team would run their two new R90CKs. The American Nissan Performance Technology Inc. (NPTI) from the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
team would also run two R90CKs. Courage Compétition
Courage Compétition
Courage Compétition was a racing team and chassis constructor company now owned by Oreca, based in Le Mans, France near the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was founded by Yves Courage, a French race driver who ran hillclimbs before founding the company...
and Team Le Mans would both run their older R89Cs. However the race would take its toll on the Nissans, and only three would finish. The lone R90CP of Masahiro Hasemi
Masahiro Hasemi
is a former racing driver and team owner from Japan. He started racing motocross when he was 15 years old. In 1964 he signed to drive for Nissan. After establishing himself in saloon car and GT races in Japan, he participated in his only Formula One race at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix for Kojima...
, Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Kazuyoshi Hoshino
is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....
, and Toshio Suzuki would finish in fifth place, 11 laps behind the winning Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
. The American R90CK would take 17th place, while Courage's older R89C would finish 22nd.
The R90CK was notable for achieving the highest straightline speed on the Mulsanne
Mulsanne
Mulsanne is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-Motor racing:The Circuit de la Sarthe, which is used in the sports car endurance race 24 Hours of Le Mans, features the long straight Ligne Droite des Hunaudières leading to Mulsanne, making a...
straight at the Le Mans circuit following the installation of a sequence of tight serpentine curves (chicane
Chicane
A chicane is an artificial feature creating extra turns in a road, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars to lower speeds.- Motor Racing :...
s). Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell is a Formula One, sports car, and CART racing driver. He was a Formula One presenter for the British broadcaster ITV until the end of the 2008 season when the TV broadcasting rights switched to the BBC....
reached at 366 km/h (226.9 mph) on his pole position lap - 24.2 mph less than the previous record trap speed. The qualifying engine, normally capable of up to 1000 bhp, had jammed its wastegate
Wastegate
A wastegate is a valve that diverts exhaust gases away from the turbine wheel in a turbocharged engine system. Diversion of exhaust gases regulates the turbine speed, which in turn regulates the rotating speed of the compressor. The primary function of the wastegate is to regulate the maximum boost...
shut, leading the engineers to believe that the car was capable of 1100 bhp. Bob Earl
Bob Earl
Bob Earl is an American former racing driver from Claremont, California. He began racing in Formula Ford in 1972 and was the 1973 national champion...
took the fastest lap during the race in the NPTI car at 3:40.030 This trap speed record with the chicanes in place still stands to this day. Even with this performance, Nissan would not return to Le Mans with their prototypes following their departure from the World Sportscar Championship at the end of 1990.
24 Hours of Daytona
Nissan would also have a notable presence at the 24 Hours of Daytona24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
. Although part of the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
which was usually contested by Nissan's GTP ZX-Turbo, it was decided that the R90Cs were better suited for the Daytona endurance. Three R90CKs were entered in 1991 under an invitational class for Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
cars. Although two failed to finish, the R90CK of Bob Earl
Bob Earl
Bob Earl is an American former racing driver from Claremont, California. He began racing in Formula Ford in 1972 and was the 1973 national champion...
, Derek Daly
Derek Daly
Derek Daly is a former racing driver from the Republic of Ireland. He won the 1977 British Formula Three Championship, and competed as a professional racing driver for 17 years participating in 64 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on April 2, 1978. He scored a total of 15...
, Chip Robinson
Chip Robinson
Chip Robinson is a retired race car driver. He drove in the IMSA Camel GT series and won the 1987 24 Hours of Daytona Chip Robinson (born March 29, 1954 in Philadelphia, PA) is a retired race car driver. He drove in the IMSA Camel GT series and won the 1987 24 Hours of Daytona Chip Robinson (born...
, and Geoff Brabham
Geoff Brabham
Geoff Brabham is an Australian racing driver. He is the son of three-time Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham. Brabham spent the majority of his racing career in the United States. He raced successfully in CART early in his career. In ten appearances in the Indianapolis 500, with a best result...
managed to finish first in class and in second place overall, although 18 laps behind the winning Joest Racing
Joest Racing
Joest Racing is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works racer Reinhold Joest...
Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
C.
Nissan would return in 1992, although with even more cars. Two R90CKs were modified with motors that allowed them to run the IMSA GTP class. The factory team also brought an R91CP from Japan, which would compete in the invitiational class. Privateer Nova Engineering Racing ("From-A" livery) would also come from Japan with their R91CK, also in the invitiational class. While the R90CKs suffered, the R91CP would manage to take the victory, nine laps ahead of a Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
. Nova Engineering would also manage to take eighth place.
Final appearance
Nissan would make their final appearance with sports cars at the 1993 1000km Suzuka, contested in part by the new All Japan GT ChampionshipSuper GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
(JGTC) which had replaced the JSPC. Team Le Mans would enter a former factory R92CP, while Nova Engineering would run their R91CK. With a Spice
Spice Engineering
Spice Engineering was a British racing team founded by driver Gordon Spice with his brother Derek Spice in the early 1980s, later becoming a successful sports car constructor in 1986...
-Acura
Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The brand has been available in the United States and Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and near-performance vehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991, Mexico in 2004, and China in 2006...
as the only other prototype competitor, the two cars would easily take victory, with Team Le Mans ahead of Nova Engineering.
External links
- World Sports Racing Prototypes - Nissan chassis index
- Nissan Motorsports - Race Car Directory Vol. 1, 1991/1992 R91CP (Japanese)
- Mulsannes Corner - Nissan P35 Story, includes development of the R90Cs
- Group C/GTP Racing - From-A Nissan R91CK
- Supercars.net - Nissan R90CK
- Supercars.net - Nissan R91CP