Eric Comas and the Penzoil Nismo GT-R team dominated the 1998 and 1999 All Japan GT Championships. A delicate balance of stable driving, calculated race strategy, and nimble pit-work proved to be the secret of the team's success. Despite frequent poor showings in qualifying races, they consistently managed to pull up their socks and finish well in the final races. For the 2000 season, the car was further honed in effort to secure yet another year's championship. The rear wing and diffuser were compacted to cut down on wind resistance and the 2.7 liter twin turbo engine was dropped down for a lower center of gravity. The brakes were also refined to guarantee powerful yet stable response, and the suspension was revamped in efforts to heighten the mechanical grip of the car. The pursuit of aerodynamics was also given thorough consideration, with slight modifications to the front spoiler and under panels of the body sides. In a fresh departure from the yellow body coloring of the Penzoil Nismo, the 2000 version of the GT-R (R34) featured an intrepid white and red design, adorned with the logos of main sponsors, "Loctite" and "Zexel". Joining Comas on the 2000 driver roster was Masami Kageyama. At the jointly held pre-season test race, the team drove in a 2nd place time, going on to achieve a brilliant victory at the season opener in Motegi. Focused on consistency in both qualifying and final races, the Loctite Zexel GT-R (R34) set the stage for a successful 2000 season.