2015.11.29

30,000 Nissan fans celebrate conquest of both classes at NISMO FESTVIAL.

 

Nissan/NISMO fan’s festivity, “NISMO FESTIVAL at FUJI SPEEDWAY 2015,” was held at clear sky Fuji Speedway on November 29 (Sun). With No.1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R driven by Tsugio Matsuda / Ronnie Quintarelli duo winning consecutive championships in GT500 class and No.10 GAINER TANAX GT-R also becoming champion of GT300 class in SUPER GT, some 30,000 fans showed up to celebrate the perfect conquest over both classes.

 

【Opening】

 

 

All participants of drivers, team managers, and Legend drivers made appearance at the opening ceremony held on the stage set up in Event Square located behind the grandstand. Firstly, Tsugio Matsuda of No.1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R, which accomplished back-to-back title in GT500 class, gave opening greetings on behalf of all drivers. Then, Kunihiko Kakimoto, general manager of all Nissan teams, formally informed the fans of two consecutive series titles, and the fans responded back with a warm cheer.

【Circuit Safari / Circuit Taxi / Racing car passenger ride】

 

 

A variety of participatory events using the race track, namely Racing car passenger ride, Circuit Safari, and Circuit Tax, were held starting form 9:30AM. Top drivers took the wheel of Nissan’s glorious new and old racing cars in the Racing car passenger ride. It must had been an incomparable experience for the fans who got to sit in the passenger seat. Circuit Safari offered memorable experience to the fans too as NISMO team manager Yutaka Suzuki and MOLA team manager Toshiomi Oeki boarded the bus as a guide.

 

【SUPER GT Talk Show】

 

 

In the SUPER GT Talk Show held on the main stage, team managers and drivers of four teams, NISMO, TEAM IMPUL, KONDO RACING, and MOLA, all came together on the same stage. Team manager Masahiko Kondo, who won for the first time in five years at Round 4, told an emotional episode which he said he almost shed tears by the words he received from Team manager Kazuyoshi Hoshino right after the victory, “Macchi, I know it was such a long and tough road for you (for not being able to win),” and the fans gathered at the venue were nodding to his story. Hironobu Yasuda of No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R and Matsuda of No.1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R, who literally bumped into each other on the track a few times resulting from their fierce championship battle in the last phase of season, both said it is a past already and even made a laugh on it. It was impressive to see them celebrate the consecutive title by No.1 car together as members of Nissan/NISMO.

 

【Grid Walk】

 

 

Grid walk was held just before the main feature of the event “NISMO GP 2015.” General manger Kunihiko Kakimoto and Team manager Yutaka Suzuki offered detail explanations about GT500 machines by using MOTUL AUTECH GT-R as a “learning tool.”

【NISMO GP 2015】

A total of eight GT-Rs from SUPER GT, in both GT500 and GT300 classes, participated in “NISMO GP 2015,” an exhibition race showcased by Nissan’s racing cars. All iconic cars of this season’s Nissan/NISMO came together for the program in addition to the SUPER GT cars, such as Fairlady Z and GT-R of other category. Exhibition was raced in 12 laps and the GT500 class was required to make a pit-stop for driver and tire changes, and there was even a prize set for the pit-work.

 

 

No.1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R (Ronnie Quintarelli) made a good start and led the pack until the end of Lap 3 when the car came in to the pit to change driver (Tsugio Matsuda). No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R (Hironobu Yasuda) took over the lead while No.1 car stayed in the pit, but it also came in to the pit after completing six laps. Although No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R (Joao Paulo de Oliveira) made it back to the track 12 seconds ahead of MOTUL AUTECH GT-R, the car was giving a penalty for speeding on the pit road. After all, the exhibition race was won by No.46 S Road MOLA GT-R (Masataka Yanagida > Satoshi Motoyama), which also marked the top time in the pit-work competition. No.24 D'station ADVAN GT-R was able to prove its quickness, despite losing a few seconds in the pit, as Daiki Sasaki (> Michael Krumm), who drove in the first half, marking the best lap time.

 

 

 

【Finale】

Festival came to an end with the “Finale” where all Nissan’s renowned racing cars, including the champion cars of this season, No.1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R from GT500 class, No.10 GAINER TANAX GT-R from GT300 class, No.23 GT-R that conquered the Blancpain Endurance Series, and Fairlady Z from ST-3 Class of Super Taikyu Series, appeared together in front of the fans. After presentation of bouquets to the four champions, the staple “unveiling of car number” was conducted again two years in a row from last year, but this year the peeling of car number was also done for GT300 in addition to the GT500. Finally, this year’s NISMO FESTIVAL closed its curtain with a spiritful comment by NISMO CEO Shoichi Miyatani at the end, “This year turned out to be truly a year of GT-R, but we will do the best again next year.”

 

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