NASCAR at LeMans

I heard a host on a NASCAR XM show say he is hearing
driving the Garage 56 car at LeMans is not exactly on the top
of everybodies to do list. The car will be the only one in its class
so its not really racing anyone else for a class win. That apparently
is not exactly appealing to the top drivers in Nascar. So I guess
it will be interesting to see who the driver lineup ends up being
for the ride. 24 Hr of LeMans is June 10th and 11th 2023.
That's why it makes sense for Jeff and Jimmie to run it alongside Mike Rockenfeller. They have the star power, and the skills to keep the car clean, and they aren't sacrificing energy spent in another active series fulltime to go do this as a side project.
 
That's why it makes sense for Jeff and Jimmie to run it alongside Mike Rockenfeller. They have the star power, and the skills to keep the car clean, and they aren't sacrificing energy spent in another active series fulltime to go do this as a side project.
Jimmie may be one of the drivers who would rather be in a prototype going for a win .
Just a rumor at this point. Another rumor is Elliott is not overexcited about running it.
Long time till June to decide or persuade. I wonder if Dinger would be up for it.
 
It’s the same weekend as Sonoma.

Current competitive drivers available for the event in France? None.
A playoff waiver, considering Jim France is behind this, wouldn't be an impossible chance to get for somebody that wanted to be in France that weekend. And marketing wise, let's say Chase wanted to run it, maybe HMS puts NAPA on the G56 car somewhere and sells the idea of this getting more hype than a typical Sonoma race would get, and they go for allowing it. Or whichever sponsor was supposed to be on the car that weekend, you know?

Heck, Kyle Busch is a Team Chevy driver now and RCR already has an endurance connection as they build the Cadillac prototype engines.
 
A playoff waiver, considering Jim France is behind this, wouldn't be an impossible chance to get for somebody that wanted to be in France that weekend. And marketing wise, let's say Chase wanted to run it, maybe HMS puts NAPA on the G56 car somewhere and sells the idea of this getting more hype than a typical Sonoma race would get, and they go for allowing it. Or whichever sponsor was supposed to be on the car that weekend, you know?

Heck, Kyle Busch is a Team Chevy driver now and RCR already has an endurance connection as they build the Cadillac prototype engines.
Sorry, not happening. Racing at LeMans takes more of a time commitment than any full time Cup driver can spare, even if they WANTED to do it. Chase for one is not going to give up a chance to win at Sonoma to run an exhibition race in France, and I seriously doubt HMS would even want him to.
 
When is this race? Will it be covered the Rolex?

Absolutely HATE if I want to cheer for a team with American roots it has to be Felony Motorsports. And I’m like Rev, don’t tell me this doesn’t help Felony Motorsports future development of car and engines. I’m SURE it’s an open book on the engine especially. 🙄

Love to year Penske and Roush opinions on this. Not what they are made to say by NASCAR.

Well technically, what are you rooting for, that the car stays running for 24 hours and finishes? I'm sure nobody at Chevy or HMS is going to miss your support.
 
Sorry, not happening. Racing at LeMans takes more of a time commitment than any full time Cup driver can spare, even if they WANTED to do it. Chase for one is not going to give up a chance to win at Sonoma to run an exhibition race in France, and I seriously doubt HMS would even want him to.
I bet Chevy would want the most popular driver in the United States motorsport scene to draw eyes on their showy international project. Not to mention, since they aren't racing for position, he just has to know enough and feel the car out enough to not wreck it, which he obviously won't do. He's run a prototype in the 24 Hours of Daytona before. He can handle a modified version of what he already calls home, I'm sure.
 
... And marketing wise, let's say Chase wanted to run it, maybe HMS puts NAPA on the G56 car somewhere and sells the idea of this getting more hype than a typical Sonoma race would get, and they go for allowing it. Or whichever sponsor was supposed to be on the car that weekend, you know?
It’s either the NASCAR Garage 56 entry or the Hendrick Motorsports Garage 56 entry.

It can’t be both.
 
A playoff waiver, considering Jim France is behind this, wouldn't be an impossible chance to get for somebody that wanted to be in France that weekend. And marketing wise, let's say Chase wanted to run it, maybe HMS puts NAPA on the G56 car somewhere and sells the idea of this getting more hype than a typical Sonoma race would get, and they go for allowing it. Or whichever sponsor was supposed to be on the car that weekend, you know?

Heck, Kyle Busch is a Team Chevy driver now and RCR already has an endurance connection as they build the Cadillac prototype engines.
I don’t doubt they could and would get a waiver if they wanted to but the logistics involved don’t seem to be worth it for active drivers in an already packed schedule. If it were to be a Gold-rated driver such as Larson or Allmendinger they’d also have to skip Gateway to be there for test weekend and I just don’t see anyone sacrificing their regular job for all that travel and work with not tangible reward to compete for. I’d be surprised if it isn’t Gordon/Rocky/JJ, or at least the latter two.

The new 2023 Cadillac engines are also built in-house in Pontiac.
 
When is this race? Will it be covered the Rolex?
It’s quite possible it makes an appearance at the Rolex at the end of January given some of the hints I’ve seen this past week, not sure it’d be done in good faith though if it happens.
 
I doubt that the race coverage will be that great either. France is probably going to pull some strings and draw out of his IMSA pool for finding drivers.
France’s team already has a bid to LM so they’re tied up too.
 
I doubt that the race coverage will be that great either. France is probably going to pull some strings and draw out of his IMSA pool for finding drivers.
I wouldn't expect much from the TV coverage either. Unless something has changed, it's usually Euro-centric announcers watching a world video feed that is far more interested in that hot battle for 9th in LMP2 than where any American team is running at the moment. I tuned in in the morning last year year and I had to watch for 25+ minutes to find out if the Corvettes were even still in the race.
 
I wouldn't expect much from the TV coverage either. Unless something has changed, it's usually Euro-centric announcers watching a world video feed that is far more interested in that hot battle for 9th in LMP2 than where any American team is running at the moment. I tuned in in the morning last year year and I had to watch for 25+ minutes to find out if the Corvettes were even still in the race.
I probably will be able to pick up bits and pieces from Hendrick's tweets on twitter if it is still around.
 
It’s either the NASCAR Garage 56 entry or the Hendrick Motorsports Garage 56 entry.

It can’t be both.
It is both. You see what's funny is that in the announcement, all the material had the NASCAR logo, IMSA, logo, and HMS logo beside the 24 Hours of LeMans logo, which can be seen at the top of this page for instance: https://m.nascar.com/news-media/202...ts-team-up-for-special-le-mans-entry-in-2023/

This is what's known in the biz as, a collaboration. You know. More than one entity, united for a cause.
 
France’s team already has a bid to LM so they’re tied up too.
I would imagine he has contacts to find drivers. They don't just drop off the face of the earth if they aren't in the IMSA series anymore. Hendrick said his phone has been ringing off the wall. My guess is that they might not be household names, but good drivers none the less.
 
This is what's known in the biz as, a collaboration. You know. More than one entity, united for a cause.
I know how to define collaboration but thanks.

NASCAR has 3 competitive corporate entrants.

Are Ford and Toyota collaborating on the project?
 
I would imagine he has contacts to find drivers. They don't just drop off the face of the earth if they aren't in the IMSA series anymore. Hendrick said his phone has been ringing off the wall. My guess is that they might not be household names, but good drivers none the less.
I thought you were referring to his current drivers. I agree then, he has plenty of contacts and I imagine the lineup is more or less already settled at this point. Rocky has driven in his second car with Jimmie the last two years so there was already familiarity there.
 
I thought you were referring to his current drivers. I agree then, he has plenty of contacts and I imagine the lineup is more or less already settled at this point. Rocky has driven in his second car with Jimmie the last two years so there was already familiarity there.
Gordon will most likely drive as well. He didn't get in that Porsche for nothing at IMS.
 
Well technically, what are you rooting for, that the car stays running for 24 hours and finishes? I'm sure nobody at Chevy or HMS is going to miss your support.
Basically, yes. There is a finishing order and the higher the better, even if this cars finish will be based on attrition. If it wasn’t FM I’d want to follow it.

And idiotic response about my support. What team gives a **** about anyone that doesn’t support them or loves their misfortune? That supposed to make me feel bad….🙄
 
Basically, yes. There is a finishing order and the higher the better, even if this cars finish will be based on attrition. If it wasn’t FM I’d want to follow it.

And idiotic response about my support. What team gives a **** about anyone that doesn’t support them or loves their misfortune? That supposed to make me feel bad….🙄
Is calling Rick Hendrick the "felon" for a mistake he made thirty years ago supposed to make HIM feel bad?
 
I swear some of you don't read anything before posting...everything mentioned today has been brought up previously.
 
Is calling Rick Hendrick the "felon" for a mistake he made thirty years ago supposed to make HIM feel bad?

Closer to 40 years ago. He just didn't face any charges until the mid 90's.

Funny how all the Hendrick haters call him "the felon" like that's so uncommon among successful businessmen. Hendrick was one of MANY dealers who bribed Honda executives for extra allotments of cars. His crime was giving gifts so he could sell more cars. Oh goody gumdrops! Isn't Gene Haas a felon for tax fraud? Who cares? These guys aren't stealing money from a charity or doing anything to hurt anyone. Breaking laws to help your business doesn't always make you a bad person, just like being a priest who gets his rocks off from diddling little boys doesn't make you a good person.
 
People complain bitterly when injured competitors are granted playoff exemptions ... but a couple of Hendrick / Chevrolet freebies would be A-OK?

Tell that to David Smith and Mark Rushbrook.
 
People complain bitterly when injured competitors are granted playoff exemptions ... but a couple of Hendrick / Chevrolet freebies would be A-OK?

Tell that to David Smith and Mark Rushbrook.

It wouldn't even be alright with ME, and everybody knows where my loyalties are. Literately HUNDREDS of drivers that could fill that seat, most better in that situation than ANY NASCAR driver, current or retired. I just listened to a podcast with Dan Binks and he said LeMans even kind of kicked Jordan Taylor's butt the first couple of years. It's a TOUGH place.
 
Eh B.S as usual some people think this is the super bowl of the world. It used to be a pretty famous race but it isn't what it was. The Nascar car is even less important to the outcome of the race. It isn't competing for anything but competing to see if it can finish the race and other technical items. It isn't going to cause of any leading driver to toss aside their potential class winning ride to jump into a exhibition car.
 
If they gave trophys for which car sounds the best, the the Nascar wins hands down. I don't see how the Nascar will keep pace with the wing thingy Corvette. It's something to shoot for though. That class is cheated up quite a bit. Most of them are stretched out wide and are mid-engined.
 
Back
Top Bottom