Recent press release. It will be interesting to see if there is any interest in this class. Nissan is not supporting the Versa in the new B-Spec class, but that may change at the end of the year when the new Versa Hatchback is released.


Nissan’s company-wide commitment to motorsports is continuing, as the automaker recently announced it would partner with NASA—no, not that one; this is the National Auto Sport Association—to support a new spec racing series devoted to the popular Nissan 350Z. The NASA Spec Z class groups all Z cars from 2003-2008 into a single classification to deliver an affordable, highly competitive motorsports challenge that travels to some of the country’s top road courses.

“We are very excited about Spec Z,” said Jeremy Croiset, sponsorship manager for NASA. “We have been working closely with Nissan Motorsports on the creation of Spec Z, and it will be an excellent series for anyone looking to step into a spec vehicle that’s fast and relatively inexpensive to build, maintain and race. With the fantastic contingency prize programs that are being provided for Spec Z, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more rewarding spec series to race in. We look forward to watching Spec Z grow and flourish in the coming years as more racers adopt this new formula.”

Nissan Motorsports will offer some notable contingency awards, too, including cash prizes of up to $850 for the top three finishers at regional events and $6,500 for those who place highest at the 2012 National Championships. In addition, BFGoodrich has signed as the tire provider and also will fund a contingency program, and more are in the offing as NASA finalizes details for the series.

“NASA has a proven track record of growing classes from the ground up, so we are excited to be working with NASA on the new Spec Z series,” added Ron Stukenberg, senior manager for Motorsports Marketing Communications, Nissan North America. “We have a number of competitors already expressing interest in the series, so the potential for this series is very strong indeed. With our Nissan Motorsports Competition Parts Program and comprehensive contingency prize programs, we are looking to make this a strong offering for those interested in stepping into a very competitive spec series racing the iconic Z car.”

For more information, visit www.NASAProRacing.com<http://www.NASAProRacing.com>.