This weekend’s 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race will see a NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 line up on the starting grid.
Running in the experimental Garage 56 category, the NASCAR Camaro is there to demonstrate just how capable the latest Cup Series stock car racer is.
It’s also part of the celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of Le Mans, along with commemorating the 75th anniversary of NASCAR’s founding.
Compared to the diminutive Le Mans Hypercar and GT racers, the hulking Chevy NASCAR will certainly be easy to spot on-track. If the V8 noise doesn’t give it away first…
Showing what a Next Gen NASCAR can do
The Garage 56 ‘Innovative Car’ category was introduced at Le Mans in 2012, designed to promote new technology and initiatives. Previous entrants have included the radical DeltaWing and hybrid-powered Nissan ZEOD RC racer.
Although Garage 56 entrants are classified in the actual race results, they are not eligible for outright victory.
This will matter little to Hendrick Motorsports. The hugely successful American racing team is fielding the Camaro in collaboration with NASCAR, Chevrolet, IMSA and Goodyear.
On driving duty will be seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, and two-time Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller.
An all-star driving team
The car taking to the Circuit de la Sarthe is almost unchanged from the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s used in the NASCAR Cup Series.
This means a 358-cubic inch (5.8-litre) small-block V8 engine, combined with a five-speed paddle shift transmission.
Necessary modifications have included the addition of functioning headlights and tail lights for racing at night. A road course-specification windscreen wiper is also fitted, along with a larger fuel cell to enable the Camaro to complete longer stints.
Bespoke Goodyear Eagle racing rubber has been used, while carbon brake discs ensure the Chevrolet can make repeated stops from high speed.
Creating the full NASCAR experience
“From the beginning of this project, it was important to us that the car we bring to Le Mans is a true NASCAR stock car,” said Jim France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR.
“While there have been some adjustments to allow the car to compete in a 24-hour endurance race, fans in Le Mans will be treated to the full NASCAR experience”, he added.
This is not the first time a NASCAR has taken to the Circuit de la Sarthe, however. In 1976, a Dodge Charger and Ford Torino were entered at Le Mans, as part of an ‘exchange of classes’ between the two events.
Both NASCARs failed to finish in 1976, with a lack of preparation noted as contributing to their mechanical issues.
Flat-out to the finish
This time around, extensive testing has been undertaken since the project was announced in March 2022. Included in this was a 24-hour simulation, held at Sebring in February.
The Chevy has already looked impressive in Le Mans practice, posting quicker lap times than the fastest LM GTE cars. It reached a top speed of 185mph, too. A win by the Garage 56 crew in the annual Pit Stop Challenge also proves the Hendrick team is out for success.
However, simply being at the finish when the race ends on Sunday is likely to be the ultimate prize for the outrageous NASCAR.
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