Our reputation in sportscar racing became stronger as Nissan began to dominate the USA IMSA Series, ultimately winning four championships. Meanwhile, the Nissan teams back home in Japan were not doing the same. I traveled to Japan to meet the top racing targets as a guest of NISMO, the Nissan Corp racing group. My translator helped me communicate, especially with the top engineering people. The racers in Japan were still using old tech which I knew well because I served Ferodo in the USA and I had traveled to their operations in the UK and Germany. The Ferodo racing compound used by many race teams was low friction, meaning low stopping power compared to our high friction science in our operations in South Carolina. So what? Racers using our disc pads could brake later, a serious racing advantage.
Yoshi was one of the secret weapons of the Nissan USA team, an aerodynamics guru. We hired him.
During my time in Japan, I also visited commercial customers and targets. One old customer from my Ferodo days was buying our brand. When I showed up at one of their locations early I found they were selling goods in our brand name trademark that we did not make. The old bait and switch is called Trademark Enfringement. I fired them as a client as the son of the founder drove me to the airport. I am a great believer of “trust and verify.” Do the fieldwork to confirm what is really going on at the customer level.
On a happy note, it was fun golfing in Japan. The most mountainous golf experience of my life. I also drove as high as the pavement goes on Mount Fuji. So beautiful.
HRC means Honda Racing Corp. They are an excellent group. They ordered prototype parts immediately after our sessions. The HRC riders named our product “2-fingers” because the riders only needed 2-fingers to get maximin deceleration on track.
Suzuka has a reputation for rain, wind, and cold races. This 12-hour race was wet and cold. Thanks to Nismo, I had a credential for their suite. Food, coffee, warmth. My mantra when I work a race is to visit every team. I strive to learn what products they race and why. I wore my Levis and our branded jacket as I worked the event. On the train back to Tokyo, I was invited to the president’s car. The president of Nissan told me he was so happy I came to work with them and to see me working the race for the full 12 hours. He laughed telling me that he used me as a motivational tool for his team. He told them to see how hard that American works as you all sit here in our suite wearing suits. He was impressed that I wore genuine Levis. Shinagawa-ku is the location of Nissan’s tech center. During my time in their basement labs, one of the young engineers leaned over to tell me I was the first white man he ever saw in this lab. His way fo showing respect. My race work efforts became well know.
Visiting clients is so crucial to learn about both their needs and their behavior.
Sounds like you really love what you do Rob.