Nicolas Hammann
Born: Elkhart Lake, WI
Age: 23
I was involved in racing at a young age, attending road races with my dad in the mid 1990’s. I began racing at age 6 at the local karting track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. I won three Road America karting championship in 2007-2009. Moving onto cars in 2010, I received my Sports Car Club of America competition license at age 16. The next few years I raced in the STU and STL category in SCCA. I raced two to three events every year at tracks like Mid-Ohio, Blackhawk Farms, Gingerman Raceway, and of course my hometown track, Road America. After graduating from high school I began pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a motorsports concentration at University North Carolina, Charlotte. I always wanted to become a professional driver, and annually tried to get into a program called GT Academy. This program, sponsored by Nissan and Gran Turismo, took virtual gamers and gave them a chance to race professionally. On my third try, and as a sophomore in college, I was able to participate in GT Academy. I attended New York and Silverstone, and after a week of competition, I was able to win GT Academy in 2014. After winning I trained for three months in the United Kingdom with some of the world’s top driving instructors, in preparation for my first professional race the 24 hours of Dubai on January 9th and 10th. Myself along with four other racers finished second in class and fifth overall out of 96 entries in the Nissan GT-R GT3 car. I then raced around the globe and in many different cars for the rest of 2015, racing in Moscow, Russia in the Blancpain Sprint Series in the GT-R GT3 and in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge in the Doran Racing Nissan 370Z. I had best finishes of fourth at my hometown track Road America and at Circuit of the Americas. I also raced at Lime Rock, Virginia International Raceway, and Road Atlanta in the Doran Racing 370Z. I returned to school at UNC Charlotte for mechanical engineering and am applying the information I learn in the classroom at the racetrack. I also raced in the Pirelli World Challenge Championships with CA Sport in 2015 in two different classes. I raced in the Grand Touring Sport class at Sonoma Raceway finishing sixth the final day in a very strong World Challenge GTS field in the Nissan 370Z NISMO. I also helped develop the Nissan 370Z for the touring car class, working with officials to dial in the correct restrictor and tire sizes for great racing among other manufacturers. With this development it led me to racing at Mid-Ohio and also Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
When not racing, I enjoy running, biking, sim racing, and working on cars. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends.
As I look back on the 2016 racing season, I reflect on all the great opportunities I had from racing a Nissan Micra in Canada to racing the #74 NASCAR Xfinity Car at Watkins Glen and Road America. This season I learned a lot in terms on racecraft and the business behind racing, that better prepares me for whatever the 2017 racing season has to offer! I still cannot imagine five years ago that with the help of Nissan's GT Academy program I would have the chance to race all around the globe in some amazing vehicles!
“Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed of becoming a professional racing driver. I never imagined I would be racing around the world in racing series such as NASCAR, Blancpain GT, and World Challenge. I have so many individuals to thank for helping me get to this point in my career and it is only the beginning. I cannot wait to see what happens next!" - Nic Hammann
Born: Elkhart Lake, WI
Age: 23
I was involved in racing at a young age, attending road races with my dad in the mid 1990’s. I began racing at age 6 at the local karting track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. I won three Road America karting championship in 2007-2009. Moving onto cars in 2010, I received my Sports Car Club of America competition license at age 16. The next few years I raced in the STU and STL category in SCCA. I raced two to three events every year at tracks like Mid-Ohio, Blackhawk Farms, Gingerman Raceway, and of course my hometown track, Road America. After graduating from high school I began pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a motorsports concentration at University North Carolina, Charlotte. I always wanted to become a professional driver, and annually tried to get into a program called GT Academy. This program, sponsored by Nissan and Gran Turismo, took virtual gamers and gave them a chance to race professionally. On my third try, and as a sophomore in college, I was able to participate in GT Academy. I attended New York and Silverstone, and after a week of competition, I was able to win GT Academy in 2014. After winning I trained for three months in the United Kingdom with some of the world’s top driving instructors, in preparation for my first professional race the 24 hours of Dubai on January 9th and 10th. Myself along with four other racers finished second in class and fifth overall out of 96 entries in the Nissan GT-R GT3 car. I then raced around the globe and in many different cars for the rest of 2015, racing in Moscow, Russia in the Blancpain Sprint Series in the GT-R GT3 and in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge in the Doran Racing Nissan 370Z. I had best finishes of fourth at my hometown track Road America and at Circuit of the Americas. I also raced at Lime Rock, Virginia International Raceway, and Road Atlanta in the Doran Racing 370Z. I returned to school at UNC Charlotte for mechanical engineering and am applying the information I learn in the classroom at the racetrack. I also raced in the Pirelli World Challenge Championships with CA Sport in 2015 in two different classes. I raced in the Grand Touring Sport class at Sonoma Raceway finishing sixth the final day in a very strong World Challenge GTS field in the Nissan 370Z NISMO. I also helped develop the Nissan 370Z for the touring car class, working with officials to dial in the correct restrictor and tire sizes for great racing among other manufacturers. With this development it led me to racing at Mid-Ohio and also Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
When not racing, I enjoy running, biking, sim racing, and working on cars. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends.
As I look back on the 2016 racing season, I reflect on all the great opportunities I had from racing a Nissan Micra in Canada to racing the #74 NASCAR Xfinity Car at Watkins Glen and Road America. This season I learned a lot in terms on racecraft and the business behind racing, that better prepares me for whatever the 2017 racing season has to offer! I still cannot imagine five years ago that with the help of Nissan's GT Academy program I would have the chance to race all around the globe in some amazing vehicles!
“Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed of becoming a professional racing driver. I never imagined I would be racing around the world in racing series such as NASCAR, Blancpain GT, and World Challenge. I have so many individuals to thank for helping me get to this point in my career and it is only the beginning. I cannot wait to see what happens next!" - Nic Hammann