Nissan And JD Motorsport Team Up For The Nissan Micra Cup: Micra Featuring Some NISMO Parts

Nissan Canada Inc. and JD Motorsport Organization are set to the launch the 2015 Nissan Micra Cup in Quebec.

Sanctioned by Auto Sport Quebec (ASQ) and presented by JD Motorsport Organization with the support of Nissan Canada, the Nissan Micra Cup exclusively features the stock Micra 1.6 S M/T model with minor modifications, including NISMO suspension - to render it race-ready.

"The Nissan Micra Cup offers competitors the one of-a-kind opportunity to push the limits and hit speeds they never thought they could behind the wheel of Canada's most attainable vehicle, the Nissan Micra," says Christian Meunier, president of Nissan Canada Inc.

"Nissan's heritage is intrinsically connected to motorsports and dates back to the 1930's.

Therefore, we are proud to return to our roots in such a unique way, and in Canada! Through this collaboration with JD Motorsport Organization we have developed a highly accessible and extremely fun series for the Canadian motorsport enthusiast who has a dream to compete."

The Nissan Micra Cup's inaugural season will take place in Canada's motorsport fan hub, the province of Quebec, over the course of five weekends starting in May 2015.

The Nissan Micra Cup will offers drivers the opportunity to race on some of the most well-known race tracks in Quebec, with the potential to expand to other provinces in 2016 and beyond.

Unlike most motorsport events, each competing Nissan Micra race vehicle will have the exact same specifications, resulting in a competition that truly reveals the most skilled drivers. The Nissan Micra Cup race vehicles remain equipped with the Nissan Micra's stock 1.6-litre DOHC 4-cylinder engine with dual fuel injection and Twin CVTC (Continuously Variable Timing Control) and stock 5-speed manual transmission.

More than 25 Nissan Micras will compete on each race weekend which will include two hours of track time consisting of: a 30-minute trial, a 30-minute qualifying session and two 30-minute races.

"When I drove the 2015 Nissan Micra for the first time, the one thing that stood out above everything else is how fun this car is to drive. It's exceptionally nimble, agile and responsive," says Jacques Deshaies, founder of JD Motorsports.

"At that point in time, I was already well in the planning stages of developing a motorsport series that would offer low running costs for the enthusiast Canadian.

After my first test-drive in the Micra, with my heart racing from this seemingly inconspicuous, subcompact car, I knew without a doubt this was the optimum vehicle for the motorsport series."

The road to the starting line
As part of its development, the Micra Cup race car has been through an intensive testing process handled by a team of motorsport specialists including Jean-Francois Dumoulin, the well-known professional racer from Quebec.

The Nissan Micra racing version is a legitimate race vehicle, complete with the following modifications to deliver the upmost in performance, reliability and safety:

NISMO S-Tune Suspension Kit
FIA-approved racing seat
5-point harness
Fire extinguisher
Modified exhaust
High-performance brake pads
Safety cage
Driver protection net
Front and rear towing hooks
Stylized Fastwheels wheels with Pirelli low profile high performance tires
Each Micra competing in the Nissan Micra Cup will be prepared by the Motorsports in Action (MIA) team in St-Eustache.

Everything in the interior of the vehicle will be removed: seats, floor, door panels, steering wheel, etc., to install the aforementioned features and transform it into the race version, ready for the Nissan Micra Cup.

After some testing on the track, this race-ready Nissan Micra will then be delivered to the Nissan Micra Cup competitors.

The race-ready version of the Nissan Micra will be available by special order to JD Motorsports and include the installation of all the required safety features, new wheels and tires, NISMO S-Tune suspension and modified exhaust.

"I really enjoyed every minute I spent testing the Nissan Micra at Autodrome Saint-Eustache and Circuit Mont-Tremblant. For a car which is still almost stock, the Nissan Micra, is quite fast and so much fun to drive," says Jean-Francois Dumoulin.

"After pushing it to the edge of its limits on these tracks without any issues, I can attest to the fact the racing version of the Nissan Micra is a formidable and predictable car.

It's going to be very interesting to see the competitors going head-to-head on the tracks in the Nissan Micra Cup - may the best driver win!"