Garage 56's Le Mans-Bound NASCAR Camaro Is Officially Here

Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports, and NASCAR revealed Friday the Garage 56 Camaro ZL1 stock car heading to France later this year to take on the Circuit de la Sarthe during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The NASCAR-turned-GT racer made its debut at the Daytona International Speedway as festivities abound for this weekend’s Daytona 500 event. The Camaro ZL1 stock car is a proper Cup Series–spec machine, complete with a NASCAR-grade 5.8-liter V-8 engine under the hood. That said, the team did have to make a few adjustments to the ZL1 for it to be eligible for the endurance race. These tweaks include a larger 32-gallon fuel cell, revised front and rear aero with dive planes and a diffuser, carbon brakes, and a large wing to keep things stable down Le Mans’ long straights. The car also ditches its headlight and taillight stickers for functional units, which will prove important during the overnight hours. The modified stock car features two extra inches of length compared to the NASCAR regulars, while tipping the scales at just 2960 pounds. A current Cup car weighs in at 3,485 pounds, according to NASCAR.

Garage 56 has been involved in some of the more unique Le Mans entries over the past decad, including being responsible for the DeltaWing’s entry in the race. The project is run by Hendrick Motorsports, who themselves know a thing or two about running successful races. With 283 race victories to date, Hendrick Motorsports is the most successful team in Cup Series history.

Part of a winning strategy involves securing great talent behind the wheel, which Garage 56 has accomplished in spades. The Camaro ZL1 will be wheeled by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, and two-time Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller. The trio has amassed more than 3600 test miles in the car so far, utilizing tracks such as Road Atlanta, Virginia International Raceway, and Sebring. Garage 56 will actually be heading back to Florida next week for some additional endurance testing while awaiting official entry approval from race officials. As long as everything checks out, we’ll get to see this thing lining up at Le Mans on June 10, 2023.

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