Motorsport preparation specialist JMH will run a 2014-specification Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 in this year’s British GT Championship, with JRM factory support. The car will be piloted by BTCC race winner, Tom Onslow-Cole, and experienced AM driver, Paul White.
The Cheshire-based team will compete under the Strata21 banner and the deal enables Onslow-Cole to pursue the next challenge in his already successful career – endurance racing.
The BTCC star said: “It’s fantastic to have a proper championship campaign sorted for the season and I really can’t wait to get started in the GT-R. It’s an incredible piece of machinery and it’s already shown itself to be a race winner in other championships. In the right hands, it’s a very capable package.”
JMH has extensive experience in endurance racing. It won the GT Cup in 2011 and is familiar with the JRM factory-prepared Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 after running a car for Jody Fannin in the first round of last year’s BGT series. JMH will be supported by a JRM factory engineer and technician at each BGT event.
Team principal, Jason Hughes, said he was “extremely excited” to be working with a driver pairing of Onslow-Cole and White’s calibre. “Tom’s an extremely talented professional driver and I think Paul is one of the best amateurs in GT racing. The fact that they’ve committed to the British GT Championship with the Nissan GT-R is great news for us and the brand.”
Onslow-Cole and White tested their new GT3 machine during a private test at Snetterton on Tuesday (1st April) and will continue their preparation at the BGT media day on 8th April.
Paul White, the winner of the Britcar Class 1 category in a Mosler in 2011 and 2012, said BGT was an appealing series in 2014. “People have always told me that I’d do well in BGT and recent rule changes have made the series much more attractive this year,” he explained.
“There is now more of an equal input between the PRO and the AM drivers so the driver pairing has to be strong on both sides. I can’t wait to see how myself and Tom get on in those conditions.”
JRM executive director, James Rumsey, said: “The British GT Championship has been one of our prime targets for 2014 – it was just a case of selecting the right team to work with,”
“We believe JMH is the ideal partner to deliver success in BGT and to build on the success of the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 that won the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series ProAm Drivers and Teams titles with Nissan GT Academy Team RJN.
“We will provide JMH with the highest level of technical support and our customer support parts truck will attend each race to make sure the car is always on track and in the best shape.”