As part of its year-long celebration of the ‘Z’ sports coupe’s 40th anniversary, Nissan will display a series of historic racers at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion formerly known as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, which takes place at the at Laguna Seca Raceway on August 12-15. The six Z racers of the past will be joined at the event by a number of vintage Nissan race cars including a 1970 Datsun 510 and a pair of 1985 Nissan GTPs. If you are a Datsun/Nissan fan this is a must-attend event so join us this weekend!  Details on the 6 cars below:

From Nissan Press Release:

Brock Racing Enterprises Datsun 240Z
In 1970, when the Datsun 240Z arrived in the U.S, Peter Brock’s Southern California-based Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) racing team helped to change the motorsports world by claiming the first SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) C Production National Championship for the Z over long-established champions from Germany and England.

Datsun 240Zs swept the top 3 spots with Bob Sharp in second and John McComb in third, in another BRE car, to firmly establish the Z® as a force in SCCA C Production racing. Datsun Z®s went on to win 10 straight SCCA C Production National Championships.

The 1970 and 1971 championship car, chassis #492, carried the now famous red, white and blue BRE livery penned by Peter Brock. Unfortunately chassis #492 was destroyed in a racing accident in the 1970s. This vehicle is a faithful replica of that car created by Ron Carter. It carries the BRE front and rear spoilers as well as the aerodynamic headlight covers. Under the hood is a BRE-built 2.4-liter inline-6 cylinder engine with the original triple Solex/Mikuni carburetors and the Nissan Competition intake manifold. Even the wheels are the original American LeMans magnesium pieces, so it is very close to the BRE 240Z that John Morton and the BRE team used to rock the racing world in 1970.

Bob Sharp Racing Datsun 240Z Chassis #00006
This car is the first Datsun 240Z imported into the U.S. It was the original display vehicle at the 1969 New York Auto Show. It later went to the Toronto Auto Show and was damaged when a spokesmodel sat on the roof for a photographer. The car was quickly pulled from the publicity tour and became the first race winning 240Z under the Bob Sharp Racing banner. This car appeared at every SCCA Runoffs from 1970 to 1978. Bob Sharp and the Z® won the SCCA C Production National Championship in 1972, 1973 and 1975. This car was raced as a 240Z, 260Z and 280Z. After its days at Bob Sharp Racing, it was owned and raced for many years by Jim Fitzgerald who had also raced it for Bob Sharp Racing.

When the car was a show car it was originally dark green and a patch of dark green paint was found during the restoration and has been maintained on the car to confirm its beginnings as the infamous “spokesmodel” car. It is owned by Dr. Allan Robbins and was restored by SharpSight Motorsports.

Bob Sharp Racing Datsun 240Z IMSA GTU
This car started its long racing career as a 1970 240Z prepped by Bob Sharp Racing (BSR) in Wilton, Connecticut. It was the second 240Z BSR used to compete in C Production in the SCCA after chassis #006. Bob Sharp won the SCCA C Production National Championship in 1972, 1973 and 1975. Bob Sharp also won the IMSA GTU Championship in 1975.

This car became a backup C Production car for Bob Sharp Racing when new race cars were created for the 1976 season. The new IMSA GTU car was destroyed in Sharp’s crash at Road Atlanta in April 1976. This car was pulled from backup C Production duty and quickly converted to IMSA GTU specs so Sharp could make the next race at Laguna Seca. He finished 2nd at Laguna Seca and won the next week at Ontario. Unfortunately, Sharp crashed again three weeks later at Lime Rock Park, ending his illustrious driving career.

A variety of drivers drove this car after Sharp’s retirement including Elliott Forbes Robinson, Sam Posey and Paul Newman. In 1978 this car held the all-time IMSA GTU lap records at Brainerd, Daytona, Hallett, Lime Rock, Mid America, Mid Ohio, Pocono, Sears Point, Road Atlanta and Talladega. The car is owned by Dr. Allan Robbins and was restored by SharpSight Motorsports.

Nissan Motorsports 300ZX
Nissan competed with the 300ZX in IMSA GTO and then GTS from 1989 to 1995, winning 19 races during that time. Steve Millen won the Driver’s Championship with the 300ZX in 1992 and 1994. Nissan also won the Manufacturer’s Championship in 1992 and 1994. In 1994 the Nissan Motorsports 300ZX took the overall win at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring as well as 1st in class and 5th overall at the 24 Hours of LeMans. This car, Chassis #7 (the Sebring and LeMans winner), is owned by Millen.

After dominating the competition in 1994, IMSA banned the 300ZX’s twin turbo V6 engine. The 300ZXs raced in 1995 with a V8 engine, but they were never quite the same. Millen suffered career-ending injuries in a crash at Road Atlanta and the cars were retired at the end of the season.

Nissan 370Z BRE Tribute Coupe
In recognition of BRE’s multiple championships and the Z®’s first championship, Nissan North America teamed with Brock Racing Enterprises’ Peter Brock to create an updated rendition of the famous BRE livery, a specially modified 2010 Nissan NISMO 370Z Coupe. The new BRE 370Z is not just a show car, however, it’s built for the track as well. As is appropriate to commemorate the championship car, it was built to current SCCA T2 racecar regulations and will see track duty in 2010.

2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition
To celebrate four decades of Z®, Nissan created a special, limited production version of the 2010 Nissan 370Z Coupe, the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. Limited to 1,000 units, the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition starts out as a 370Z Touring model equipped with manual transmission and Sport Package (including SynchroRev Match™, front chin spoiler, rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Rays forged aluminum-alloy wheels and viscous limited-slip differential) and adds a premium “40th Graphite” exterior color and red leather-appointed interior.

More Datsun press for you to enjoy! There is a fantastic article about Datsun racing legend Pete Brock in the June 2010 issue of Automobile magazine. You can read the full article online here

Autoweek magazine features the Datsun Heritage Museum in Murrieta, CA

The Datsun Heritage Museum displays the early history of the brand in America.

Fred Jordan is a true believer.
“It’s the greatest automotive story ever told,” he said with the fire of a zealot. “This story is so wonderful, if someone could just get it down!”
We were sitting in the Datsun Heritage Museum, under a sign that said, “Datsunland,” and I was trying desperately to get it down. Jordan is almost 88 years old and is battling cancer. He is afraid the story will never get out. The story is the history of Datsun and Nissan in America, and while Jordan played a significant role in it, he is quick to point out that it is mostly the story of Yutaka Katayama, the man who brought Datsun to America and gave us the Z.
“It’s the story of Mr. K,” Jordan said. “We’re trying to keep it alive.”

Read the entire article here

For more information on the museum please visit:
www.datsunheritagemuseum.com

Road & Track magazine will feature a track test of the BRE 240z and BRE 370z tribute cars in their upcoming September issue. A video preview of the action is below and it is thrilling to watch! The BRE 240z replica belongs to Datsun fanatic Ron Carter and he deserves a big pat on the back for keeping Datsun racing alive.

We look forward to the magazine article. It’s a great day for Datsuns 🙂

                  
Ron Carter is no stranger to Datsuns. He owns a 1967.5 2000 Roadster, a BRE 240z tribute car, and is currently restoring a 510 B Sedan. We have bumped into him at various car shows and racing events and besides being a Datsun fan he’s just plain down to earth. Ron has been actively racing his ‘67.5 roadster with various vintage racing groups. You can follow the action on his blog filled with videos and full race reports. Check it out!

http://rcnetworksracing.wordpress.com/

Thanks to our friends at BRE for forwarding this information to us.  Sometimes change can be good.  It will be an interesting August with the Monterey Historics going through some big changes.  The BRE Datsun 510 has been invited to the new event at Laguna Seca, so keep these dates saved on your calendar.

RICH TRADITION OF HISTORIC RACING CONTINUES

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Announces New Name for Marquee Event

MONTEREY, Calif., January 20, 2010 – Automobile enthusiasts worldwide have been descending on the Monterey, California peninsula each August for three decades. They come to enjoy the world’s finest pre- and post-war race cars competing as they were originally intended on the challenging road course. This rich tradition continues August 12-15 with a fresh new look and name – the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion – at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is the confluence of historic race cars, legendary drivers and motoring enthusiasts. “It’s a new dawn for the event and we are embracing it by honoring the authenticity of the race cars and integrating social and lifestyle elements that present guests with new discoveries to keep it exciting and innovative,” said Barry Toepke, vice president of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Our new name and branding captures the spirit that has made this event one of the most respected gatherings of its kind worldwide.”

“The Rolex connection to motorsports is significant and we are pleased to formalize a new relationship with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and to become the inaugural sponsor of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. As always, we are proud to maintain a strong presence on the Monterey Peninsula,” commented Peter Nicholson, vice president of Rolex Watch USA, Inc.

Formerly known as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races®, the event is now produced exclusively by SCRAMP (Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula), a not-for-profit 501(C)4 corporation established in 1957. A professional staff is supported by thousands of community volunteers and a volunteer board of directors who are the backbone of every event.

“Each one of our 27 SCRAMP board members will spend hundreds of hours on this event, just as the board has done for all the historic racing held in Monterey,” explained Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Our directors and volunteers are amazing and are completely immersed in every aspect of the event to ensure its success.” In return, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help put on the races.

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will continue the annual tradition of honoring one marque each year that is chosen for its historical significance and achievements. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will announce the featured marque and new logo in the coming weeks.

Approximately 400 cars will be accepted based on their racing pedigree for the 14 race groups. This year’s featured races are Formula 1, which celebrates its 60^th anniversary this year; Trans-Am; and for the first time ever, stock cars (with drum brakes) that competed between 1966 and 1975. Additionally, the Bugatti Club of America will celebrate its 50^th anniversary with an exclusive Bugatti Grand Prix, with cars entered from as far away as Australia, France, Germany and Switzerland.

For ticket and additional information please visit www.Mazdaraceway.com or call 800-327-7322.

A leader in the Swiss watchmaking industry, Rolex owes this reputation to the pioneering spirit and perpetual quest for perfection and innovation that have distinguished the brand since its creation over a century ago. In 1926 Rolex invented the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch and, in 1931, it created the first self-winding mechanism with a Perpetual rotor. Renowned for its privileged association with the worlds of sport, exploration, and culture, Rolex has had a long-time and deep involvement with both contemporary and historic motorsport – at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, the LeMans 24 Hour Race, the European LeMans Series, the Goodwood Revival, the long-running historic races in Monterey and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This distinguished timepiece is treasured by individuals in every endeavour.  Sports enthusiasts value its ruggedness, explorers depend on its reliability, and some simply value its elegance. Rolex has become a symbol of life’s crowning achievements.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s world-class 2010 racing schedule includes the American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patron May 21-23, the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix featuring MotoGP World Championship July 23-25, the Pre-Reunion August 7-8 and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 12-15.