1998 Le Mans R390
With the classic car races run, the 2008 Nissan GT-R performance demo began. It was pretty wild watching it in action. Normally, a non-modified production car would not be too exciting around the huge Fuji circuit, but this is no normal car. To show the GT-R's performance, Nissan put it up against the 2007 Super Taikyu Endless ST1-class 350Z. Nissan tested these cars in acceleration and braking, and the 2008 GT-R outperformed the racer in both tests. That was pretty courageous for Nissan to pick a brake company's car for this exhibition. The GT-R is going to be a beast straight off the showroom floor. I feel sorry for the Nissan sales staff having to go on test drives.
Next up was the Z-Car special. This included 2007 GT500, GT300, ST1 and ST3 cars, with another appearance from the 2007 ST1 Super Taikyu champ, the Endless/Advan Z-the first Z to win this title. The Endless/Advan Z won five out of seven races in 2007 and finished on the podium in every race of the season. With 14 cars from four different categories, there was some great dicing and passing, plus a couple of off-track excursions.
Once the Z-Car battle was finished, it was 3:30 p.m. Nissan invited everyone to the pit lane to get their scoop. It was time for the 2008 Super GT GT-R to be revealed. The anticipated time came and went. No GT-R emerged from the pit garage. Instead, Nissan started the closing ceremony. All the historics set off on parade laps. Then the ST1 and ST3 cars started lapping.
The Super GT cars put in some high-speed laps, in the middle of which, the garage at the far end of the pit lane finally opened and the beast was unleashed. In raw carbon fiber, the 2008 GT-R rumbled down the pit lane. This car definitely made a statement. With Satoshi Motoyama at the wheel, the throttle was being blipped constantly, bouncing the motor off its rev limiter. This car sounded crisp, clean and seriously mean. Motoyama put in some full-speed exhibition laps. The car looked fast. Really fast.
His last lap finished, Motoyama parked the new GT-R on the main straightaway. Then Nissan brought out all the other exhibition cars and lined them up. After a few words from Motoyama, all the racecar drivers thanked and bowed to the crowd. Having been to several similar events from different auto manufacturers, I would say Nismo fans are by far the most enthusiastic and energetic. The cars aren't half bad, either.
2007 Super Taikyu ST3-class Fairlady Z (350Z) | 
The 2008 Nissan Super GT GT-R is finally unleashed. Making its way down the pit lane for the first time, in front of 30,000 adoring Nismo fans. | 
Even against the Endless Super Taikyu 350Z, the new GT-R proves victorious. |
Nismo gave the first 1000 entrants an opportunity to purchase a special grid walk pass. They were allowed to get an up close and personal look at their favorite Nissan racecars, drivers and race queens. | 
The Z-Car Battle attracted some of the top Nissan street tuners to punch it out in a race that provided for some pretty exciting passes and a lot of fun. | 
The spec-series March Cup race allows celebrity, professional and amateur drivers the chance to race in small, low-powered, high-grip cars. |