IMSA’s Doonan lends his experience, enthusiasm to NASCAR Garage 56 project

Energy. Enthusiasm. Passion for the product. Those are the qualities that convinced NASCAR and IMSA Chairman Jim France and IMSA CEO Ed Bennett that John Doonan was the right man to serve as President of IMSA.

Doonan, the former director of motorsports for Mazda North America, joined IMSA in October 2019, and since then, he has played a key role in creating IMSA’s successful new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. He also strengthened an alliance with the Automobile Club d’Ouest that has created convergence between IMSA and the international sports car racing community.

France more recently tabbed Doonan to lead a special project that is very close to France’s heart. In 1976, France’s father, NASCAR founder Bill France, hatched a plan to enter a pair of Cup Series cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Both cars (a Ford Torino fielded by Junie Donlavey and a Dodge Charger run by Herschel McGriff) failed to make the halfway point of the race, but the uniquely American entries created a strong impression at the historic event and forged a lasting memory for Jim France.

Now, in an effort to boost NASCAR’s international presence and demonstrate the versatility of the Next Gen Cup Series car, France proposed revisiting the events of 1976 by preparing a modified Cup car for Le Mans as the classic endurance event’s “Garage 56” category, an invitational entry intended to showcase new or unusual technology. Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports, and Goodyear were recruited as partners for the project, and Doonan was asked to be the project leader of the effort.

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“In 1976, NASCAR at the time was really strong in the southern U.S. and starting to continue out west, but Mr. France felt it needed more global recognition,” Doonan notes. “The cars were not built to FIA standard at the time, but it was a chance to go over there and try to introduce what was gaining traction here in the States to an international audience. It was the chance to put a stake in the ground and say, ‘Hey, NASCAR is real. Give it a look.’

“Fast forward, the current NASCAR Cup car is a far more versatile and modular car,” he continued. “It’s a lot like the GT cars that run in IMSA or at Le Mans, relative to design and engineering. Jim felt like it was an optimal time to recreate what his dad did and put NASCAR further onto a global stage that can showcase the new car in a manner that might catch the eyes of some of the other manufacturers. I hope the other OEMs come and see there is a huge opportunity with NASCAR and its new car with more road courses.”

As the most successful manufacturer in NASCAR history, Chevrolet was an obvious choice, and Hendrick Motorsports has emerged as the lead Chevrolet NASCAR team over the past 30 years. Similarly, Goodyear’s relationship with NASCAR dates to the 1950s.

Doonan’s task was to ensure that these separate entities came together in pursuit of a common goal, and to assemble a compelling driver lineup that would resonate with American and international race fans. The drivers ultimately chosen were seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button and versatile sports car ace Mike Rockenfeller, a two-time Le Mans winner, including overall honors in 2010.

“A lot of my role and responsibility is bringing all the partners together, aligning with the ACO, and then finding a driver lineup that also achieved what Jim had hoped for — a group of folks that are well known globally and domestically, who can further our messaging based on their reach,” Doonan says. “The three of them came together like they went to school together as little kids. They’ve really jelled and embraced the project for what it is.

“Everyone has come together so well, and it’s been a lot of fun,” he added. “(IMSA and Corvette factory driver) Jordan Taylor is a coach for the drivers, and I feel like I’ve just been a coach for trying to get the various partners communicating.”