1972 Datsun 240Z Coupe

In 1972 Nissan president Mr. Katayama presented the keys to Mr. John Cooper, president of Ontario Motor Speedway for this Datsun 240Z chassis number HLS 30 120018 to be used as the official pace car for the third annual 'California 500' held on September 3rd of 1972. This Z was used to pace the 33 USAC Championship cars around the OMS 2.5 mile oval track.

In 1979 the OMS pace car was purchased by Joel Anderson from the Datsun Competition Department for $1.00 and Joel picked it up at Sears Point from the Bob Bondurant driving school where it was being stored. The car still has the actual pace car built in 'checkered flag holder.' The car was then prepared by Joel for competition in IMSA's GT-U class. The first time the car moved under its own power was in the 1979 IMSA morning practice section at Laguna Seca 35 years ago.

Joel was Frank Leary's crew chief and later became a fellow competitor. Joel and Frank shared a shop together in Santa Clara for years. Joel was one of the competitors at Atlanta when Frank won the American Road Race of Champions in 1978. In 1985 the car was sold to Rich Johnson as a SCCA GT2 class car. Rich won every race and the San Francisco Regional championship for 1985 and 1986, setting the track records at both Sears Point and Laguna Seca in GT2. The car was then sold to Roger Ed Singer who then sold it to Grant Brown where the car had been in storage for 25 years when Joel purchased the car back in 2011. The car is now owned by Rob Fuller of Z Car Garage.

IMSA GTU History
1979 Laguna Seca IMSA GTU 14th (cars 1st race)
1979 Sears Point IMSA GTU 7th
1979 Portland IMSA GTU 13th
1980 Riverside IMSA GTU (5 hour) 5th
1980 Laguna Seca IMSA GTU 10th
1980 Sears Point IMSA GTU 8th
1980 Portland IMSA GTU 8th
1980 SCCA SF Regional Champion in Super Production
- SCCA PCRRC Championship in S/P
- Set track records at Sears Point & Laguna Seca in S/P
1981 Laguna Seca IMSA GTU 10th
1981 Sears Point IMSA GTU 17th
1981 Sears Point Trans Am 12