2023 marks the 75th anniversary of NASCAR (for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). As this coincides with the 24 Hours Centenary, there was a golden opportunity for a joint celebration. And hence the challenge of adapting the latest-generation coupé from NASCAR’s 36-round Cup Series, to race on the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit! This audacious venture heralds the convergence between the French twice-round-the-clock classic and the organiser of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

It is an extraordinary effort, bringing together some prestigious partners from across the Atlantic in Garage 56: General Motors, Goodyear and Hendrick Motorsports – the most successful team in the Cup Series with 14 titles and 296 victories at the time of writing this article!

Someone with thorough knowledge of the 24 Hours was required to help develop and adapt the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Enter Mike Rockenfeller, who already knows General Motors too, as he was a factory driver for Corvette Racing at Le Mans in 2018 and 2019, and won the race in 2010, alongside Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas in an Audi. He thus has some invaluable experience to share: “This is the reason why I am involved. When they first talked about this, I thought they were crazy,” he laughs, “but I understand the idea. This is a once-in-a-lifetime for a racing driver, this is great for diversity of the Le Mans 24 Hours and motorsport as well.”  

“Everything is different in NASCAR: the weight, the pit limiter, no mirrors...” the German driver continues. The basic elements of a Nascar Cup Series coupé have been retained. However, to optimise weight and aerodynamics, there have been a number of add-ons, and the car has gained headlights and rear-view mirrors. All of these extras further underscore the muscular appearance of the Camaro ZL1 Nascar racer. Rockenfeller agrees: “With this look and sound, this car impresses the public.” And that was certainly the case at Scrutineering in Le Mans.

“We could have added a rear wing but the idea was to really keep the NASCAR spirit,” adds Jenson Button, who is back at the 24 Hours five years after his first and only outing in the LMP1 class. Another special feature of the ZL1 is that the driver has to climb through the window to get into the cockpit!

The 2010 24 Hours winner and 2009 F1 world champion are partnered with a living legend from American motorsport: seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson. He’s the first Nascar Cup Series champion to take up the Le Mans challenge: “Le Mans is highly respected and regarded by my NASCAR colleagues, and I made many of them very jealous,” he smiles. “Mike was really helpful, he really pushed the team. Jordan Taylor (official Corvette Racing and Cadillac driver) also helped me very much.”  

“I don’t think you can teach anything to a guy like Jimmie Johnson. We really helped each other,” states Rockenfeller. It certainly sounds like one of the winners of the fastest ever edition of the 24 Hours and the co-holder of the record for NASCAR Sprint Cup titles have pooled their experience. And clearly this outstanding car will be driven be an equally outstanding crew. One final anecdote: The Camaro ZL1’s race number is a nod to both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and to retired Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon, a four-time Cup Series winner with the number 24.

A double celebration for NASCAR and Le Mans thus awaits. In 1976, the celebration of the bicentenary of the American Declaration of Independence inspired initial convergence with the presence of a Ford Torino and a Dodge Charger on the starting grid at the start of the 44th running of the race. Forty-seven years on, the 24 Hours Centenary and 75th anniversary of NASCAR will both be honoured in Garage 56 with the Chevrolet Camaro, another American sporting icon.

PHOTOS: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE, SCRUTINEERING (FRIDAY 2 JUNE 2023) & TEST DAY (SUNDAY 4 JUNE 2023).