NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports crew up for particular Le Mans entry in 2023

SEBRING, Fla. — NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports introduced a cooperative enterprise Thursday that may convey a modified Subsequent Gen inventory automotive to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the race’s centennial celebration in 2023.

The mission — which additionally consists of collaborative efforts from IMSA, Chevrolet and Goodyear — would convey a specifically ready Camaro ZL1 from the NASCAR Cup Sequence into the worldwide motorsports scene’s greatest endurance race. As soon as accepted by race organizer l’Vehicle Membership de l’Ouest, the proposed entry would fill the Storage 56 slot — an additional beginning berth that showcases progressive automobiles outdoors of the race’s conventional lessons.

MORE: Storage 56 provides showcase slot for Le Mans innovation

Chad Knaus, Hendrick Motorsports’ vp of competitors, will oversee the mission. Officers available Thursday indicated that the crew’s driver lineup and different technical particulars in regards to the Le Mans entry can be introduced at a later date.

The endeavor was introduced, fittingly, from the Le Mans Ballroom on the Seven Sebring Raceway Lodge overlooking the Sebring Worldwide Raceway circuit. The observe hosts IMSA’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday (10 a.m. ET, Peacock, USA, IMSA.television).

It’s the subsequent step within the evolution of the seventh-generation inventory automotive for NASCAR’s high division. After years of improvement, the Subsequent Gen mannequin debuted this season in Cup Sequence competitors. Its sports-car chops and its adaptability can be examined at Le Mans, the place the automotive would convey an American taste to the famend Circuit de la Sarthe.

“From the early days of NASCAR, it was essential to my father that we performed a visual function in worldwide motorsports, and there’s no greater stage than the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” mentioned Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “In partnering with Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, we’ve the winningest crew, producer and tire in NASCAR historical past. We look ahead to showcasing the expertise within the Subsequent Gen automotive and placing ahead a aggressive entry within the historic race.”

It’s not the primary NASCAR foray into the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1976, NASCAR founder Invoice France Sr. and occasion organizers agreed to create a brand new Grand Worldwide class — a play on the “Grand Nationwide” title of the Cup Sequence on the time. That transfer opened the door for 2 stock-car entries: a Dodge Charger owned and pushed by NASCAR Corridor of Fame nominee Hershel McGriff together with his son, Doug, as a co-driver; and a Junie Donlavey-prepared Ford Torino for drivers Richard Brooks, Dick Hutcherson and Marcel Mignon. The French media dubbed the stockers “the 2 large monsters,” noting how they stood out among the many smaller prototypes and sports activities automobiles.

Le Mans’ Storage 56 entry was created in 2012 to supply a featured spot for ingenious automobiles with cutting-edge expertise — all outdoors of the race’s regular classifications and its 55-car subject restrict. Storage 56 entries usually are not eligible to compete for the general win, however are scored and labeled within the official outcomes. They have to additionally meet security and efficiency requirements to race alongside the occasion’s different entries.

Knaus gained seven Cup Sequence championships as a crew chief for Jimmie Johnson’s efforts within the Cup Sequence earlier than making the transition to Hendrick Motorsports’ entrance workplace for competitors. In an interview final yr with NBC Sports activities, Knaus indicated he hoped to in the future race at Le Mans, furthering the work he’s finished with the Motion Specific Racing crew and Johnson’s partial driving schedule within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Workforce proprietor Rick Hendrick additionally has a historical past of involvement in sports-car racing, fielding the manufacturing unit Chevrolet Corvette GTP in IMSA’s high class from 1985-88. His intent to subject a Le Mans entry would signify a primary.

“Taking part in one of many really iconic occasions in auto racing and representing NASCAR and Chevrolet on the world stage is a privilege,” mentioned Rick Hendrick, proprietor of Hendrick Motorsports. “Jim deserves large credit score for having the imaginative and prescient for the mission, and we thank him for trusting our group with the duty. Regardless that Storage 56 is a ‘class of 1,’ we’re rivals and have each intention of placing a daring product on the racetrack for the followers at Le Mans. It’s a humbling alternative — one that may current an thrilling problem over the subsequent 15 months — however our crew is prepared.”