NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports have announced they will run a Next Gen stock car in the 2023 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The entry will see collaboration from IMSA, Chevrolet and Goodyear, to bring a specially prepared Camaro ZL1 to the race.
Hendrick Motorsports’ vice president of competition Chad Knaus will oversee the project with technical details and driver lineup to be announced at a later date.
NASCAR’s Next Gen car made its debut in the series this season. Racing at Le Mans will put the car to the test while also putting it on the world stage.
“From the early days of NASCAR, it was important to my father that we played a visible role in international motorsports, and there is no bigger stage than the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO.
“In partnering with Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, we have the winningest team, manufacturer and tire in NASCAR history. We look forward to showcasing the technology in the Next Gen car and putting forward a competitive entry in the historic race.”
This isn’t the first time NASCAR has been on the grid at Le Mans, in 1976 NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and event organizers created a Grand International class, which saw two stock cars join the grid.
The Hendrick Motorsport car will take the Garage 56 slot which is an extra entry that allows teams to bring innovative cars to race outside their typical class.
The Garage 56 entry was debuted in 2012, allowing cars to join the grid, without having to meet the usual technical specifications, though they are required to meet performance and safety requirements. The car can’t race for the overall win, though they are classified in the official results.
Team owner Rick Hendrick has a history in sports car racing, fielding a team in IMSA from 1985-’88.
“Participating in one of the truly iconic events in auto racing and representing NASCAR and Chevrolet on the world stage is a privilege,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports.
“Jim deserves tremendous credit for having the vision for the project, and we thank him for trusting our organization with the responsibility. Even though Garage 56 is a ‘class of one,’ we are competitors and have every intention of putting a bold product on the racetrack for the fans at Le Mans. It’s a humbling opportunity — one that will present an exciting challenge over the next 15 months — but our team is ready.”
Main image: Hendrick Motorsports social media
