Jack Roush

By H.A. Branham

Nissan’s dominance of the IMSA Camel GT Series from 1988-91 is recalled mainly because of the first iteration of the manufacturer’s prototypes, the fabulous Nissan GTP ZX-T.

“T” for Turbo, powering bright blue Nos. 83 and 84 with skilled drivers at the wheel, starting with the great Australian Geoff Brabham.

Development of the GTP ZX-T resulted from activity with implications far beyond racing. Remember the old Datsun marque? It had been phased out by Nissan and the company was eager to increase that brand awareness among American consumers. The then-burgeoning IMSA GTP class looked like a good fit to go racing, promote Nissan technology – and hopefully sell more production cars, building on the market foothold Nissan was fashioning with its flashy performance vehicles complemented by solid, economy-minded machines.

There was also a chance to go head-to-head with Jaguar, Porsche and others at the highest level.

As it turned out, the battle was fairly one-sided. The Nissan GTP, it turned out, was what today’s iRacing on-line game calls, “that rarest of beasts: a Porsche and Jaguar slayer.”

In 1984, Nissan tabbed Electramotive Engineering (eventually known as Nissan Performance Technology Inc.) in El Segundo, Calif. as its racing development arm. In 1982, Electromotive had fielded Nissan 280ZXs and won IMSA’s production-based GTO championship. The origin of the GTP ZX-Turbo’s name was its turbocharged VG30ET V6 engine, the same powerplant in the production-based 300ZX, minor the modifications needed for GTP racing, of course.

Here’s what happened:

• In 1988, Brabham had his legendary eight-race winning streak. He won the drivers championship. Nissan failed by one point to unseat Porsche for the manufacturers’ title, because of the decision to waive off on the Daytona and Sebring endurance races.
• The ’89 season saw full bloom for the Nissan GTP and the partnership of Brabham and Chip Robinson, with 10 victories and the dethroning of Porsche, in the manufacturers’ championship, while Brabham repeated as drivers’ titlist.
• An upgraded car, the NPT-90, replaced the ZX-T in ’90. Brabham drove both types and won a third consecutive drivers championship, while Nissan retained the manufacturers title.
• Brabham won a fourth consecutive driving title in ‘91, while Nissan made it three straight. Strictly a ZX-90 effort. As was the final victory for a Nissan GTP and Brabham in IMSA, in the 1992 Miami Grand Prix. Toyota went on to end the manufacturer title run. After ’92, Nissan shuttered the program.