What’s happening?
As is well known among speed fans, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a race in which everyone wants to participateeven if it’s just once.
In the centenary edition of the race, in the list of participants, there is a rather peculiar registered team, a team called Garage 56 and they will participate with a car from the American NASCAR category and Despite everyone’s surprise, it is not the first time that a car of this category has participated in the La Sarthe joust.
Let’s do some history
In 1976, and although it may not sound logical to us, two teams from the famous NASCAR Winston Cup started the 24 Hours of Le Mans, both cars mounted huge engines. one was a Dodge Charger whose crew were the McGriffs -father and son- with a 5.5-liter V8 and the other one ford torino which was driven by the duo of American pilots named Brooks and Hutcherson with the company of a French pilot named Mignot, the Torino had a separate 7.0-liter V8.
In order to comply with the regulations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, various implements were added to the cars and I am referring to the wipers, headlights and extra modifications that the aforementioned Le Mans regulations required and that were not necessary in NASCAR.
How did those cars do in the race?
Well… Not very well to say, the Dodge Charger didn’t last two hoursthe engine exploded at full throttle as stated by the pilot, the Ford Torino lasted 11 hours when a gearbox problem forced him to retire, the driver’s remarks were blunt: Drum brakes aren’t ideal when reaching the end of the straight at full speed and the Torino’s 1.7-tonne weight doesn’t help in the corners. circuit fast.
The return of a NASCAR car at 24 Le Mans in 2023
The Nascar Camaro on parade at Le Mans 2023 in the lead up ceremonies. Photo: Getty Images
As we well know, when there are important anniversaries, everyone wants to be there, and that is why the team called Garage 56 requested its registration for the race more than a year ago, and the ACO, the organizing club of the 24, accepted the proposal remembering -and also celebrating- the 45th anniversary of that NASCAR adventure in La Sarthe in the seventies.
Who makes up Garage 56?
Lead the project Jim Frenchwho is the most NASCAR boss in the USA, the triad of chosen drivers is made up of the winner of seven NASCAR cups, the jimmy johnson and he will be accompanied by other drivers whose resumes and track records behind the wheel are remarkable: Jenson Buttondrivers’ champion in F1 in 2009 with Brawn GP -what is now the Mercedes-AMG F1 team- and mike rockenfeller who has a lot of experience in European races such as the DTM, the Porsche GT3 Cup and several participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the reserve driver and drivers’ coach is jordan taylor who has four Le Mans podium appearances to his credit, including a GT class win in the 2015 edition.
In the project there are more involved in addition to the NASCAR Series as a uniting entity, Hendrick Motorsports who was in charge of manufacturing the car with the support of Chevrolet and Goodyear.
What is the chosen car?
Differences between the Garage 56 Camaro for Le Mans and the Camaro Next Gen Car for NASCAR
It’s about a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and is based on the self-named “Next Gen Car” of the “NASCAR Cup Series”
Jim France, NASCAR President and CEO said:
“Since the beginning of the Garage 56 project, our goal has been to partner with the best drivers in the world to represent us at Le Mans” adding: “The lineup of Jimmie, ‘Rocky’ and Jenson is everything we could have dreamed of – three elite drivers who have won at the highest levels of motorsports around the world. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of NASCARwe are honored that these world-class champions help bring the sights and sounds of a NASCAR race car to fans at Le Mans and around the world.”
Yes ok it is unlikely that the Garage 56 team will be in a position of privilege in the 24 Hours of Le Mans -due to the characteristics of the Camaro- it is very commendable that there are those who want to risk doing something different and emblematic.
We will keep track of you 24 hours a day…
