Moffat explains #99 change

For 2015, James Moffat will adopt a new number on his V8 Supercar that has a connection to his father's illustrious motorsport history.

The 30-year old driver - who recorded his best Championship finish with Nissan Motorsport last season - switches to #99, which pays tribute to his father Allan Moffat's famous #9.

Moffat has run #360 the past two years because of its significance to sponsor Norton, but with that deal not continuing on this season, the door was open for both Moffat and teammate Michael Caruso to choose new, available numbers that worked for them.

"[After] that Norton partnership had just come to an end, I was thinking about what other numbers I'd like to run - and 99 was probably the most obvious one for me," Moffat told v8supercars.com.au.

"It's a number I've used in the past in the Dunlop Series and it connects to the family name a little bit - #9 was the number that Dad was probably most famous for and carried throughout most of his career."

Nine is used by Erebus Motorsport on Will Davison's car. So with it being unavailable, 99 was the next best thing and gives Moffat his own unique signature number.

"I think it rolls off the tongue pretty easily - we just have to make sure it's up the front of the field more often than not this year."

Moffat began his V8 Supercars career in the Dunlop Series, first using #999 with Sonic Motor Racing, that year earning the Rookie of the Year award. He then transitioned to #99 the following year with FPR - and hopes he can now keep the number for the rest of his motorsport career.

Teammate Michael Caruso is looking to do the same with his new #10, a throwback to his early karting days.

Having earned not only his beset Championship finish but a Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 podium result in 2014, Moffat is looking to build on those results and push further toward the front of the field.

Reuniting with engineer Perry Kapper, who he previously worked with in his rookie V8 Supercars year at Dick Johnson Racing, is a positive piece of the puzzle.

"It's sort of been two years in the making," Moffat said of change, which has effectively seen he and Todd Kelly swap 2014 race engineers.

"I worked with Perry the first year in the main game and we get on really well.

"When I was coming to Nissan I was really keen to have him involved in the whole project and now two years down the track we finally get to work together, so I'm really looking forward to it.

"Hopefully we can have some strong results, not only together, but as a team as well."

After a good break, Moffat is looking forward to jumping back in his Nissan Altima, with the V8 Supercars sydney.com SuperTest only a fortnight away.

"Testing is always important because of the limited days that we get," he explained.

"It's definitely going to be exciting and interesting to see how it all unfolds and works [at the new SuperTest]. Two days will definitely be valuable testing for everyone in the Championship."

Click here for more information on the new Sydney.com SuperTest, the first opportunity to see the new-for-2015 V8 Supercars on-track at Sydney Motorsport Park.