Cox: Regular Podiums Next Year for Nissans

Nissan global motorsport boss Darren Cox spoke about the team achieving podium results next year while at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Cox spoke positively of the "top premiere race series in Australia" V8 Supercars, and while he was happy with what the team - run by drivers and brothers Todd and Rick Kelly - has achieved, he also detailed his expectations for next year.

"I think the guys have done a brilliant job in terms of their performance this year - the win, the second indeed was a great result - and really was something that showed the effort being put in by the team," Cox said.

"Next year we're not going to be expecting the results of this year, we're going to keep progressing and I would see that we would be getting regular podiums next year."

What were Cox's thoughts on his first Bathurst in the flesh?

"It's everything I thought it would be - plus 10 per cent!" he said.

"Honestly, it's brilliant. As a young guy I used to watch on the BBC One, when we used to have only three TV channels, and this was an hour on Saturday afternoon on the main TV sports show. So to come here and see it has been brilliant. For me it's been a lifetime ambition."

The four Nissans didn't have the best luck at Mount Panorama, David Russell and Todd Kelly's hopes dashed when Russell hit a kangaroo and the car was left irreparable, before Kelly got the chance to complete one lap.

James Moffat/Taz Douglas were the first Nissan home in 18th, followed by Rick Kelly/Karl Reindler 19th and Michael Caruso/Daniel Gaunt 25th after power steering issues.

"Motor racing is tough, we all know that - most of the time you're losing, so when you win it's even sweeter," Cox said post-race.

"Everyone in the garage is already looking at how we can improve for next year, we've got more fire in our belly - we want to be up on the podium next year.

"We knew where we were coming into this race, we've learnt a lot from the data looking at those big long straights over the last few days, and we know what we can do to fix it... I think we'll come back here to this race, and other races in the Championship, a lot stronger."

Plenty of excitement surrounded Nissan's return to Mount Panorama over the Bathurst weekend - the brand's last win at the Great Racing was in 1992

Nissan's best finishing position of 2013 has been the one-two race result at Winton Raceway in August, Moffat leading Norton Hornet teammate Caruso home.

"We should be involved in the top premiere race series in Australia - doing it with the road car engine and really something a lot more innovatiee than the push-rod engines in the other cars. It's all about living up to our brand.

"We're doing it for the benefit of the brand and sales of our product."