CONCORD, N.C. - Le Mans is the most prestigious endurance race in the world. Filled with exotic sports car machinery from the globe’s most recognizable manufacturers all competing against each other over 24 hours, it's an event that puts every part of a race team to the ultimate test.
But what happens when a very different type of car, a V8-powered American NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet, completely disrupts what traditionally takes place on the nearly nine-mile circuit situated within the northern French countryside?
You get NASCAR's Garage 56 entry — one of the most ambitious crossover projects in motorsports history. And every moment was captured by Amazon Prime.
American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans makes its exclusive premiere on Prime Video today, a documentary focused on the collaboration among NASCAR, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), Chevrolet, Goodyear and Hendrick Motorsports in bringing stock car racing to the most prestigious endurance event in the world – the Le Mans 24 hours.
The project also enlisted some of the sport’s heaviest hitters to co-drive – NASCAR Hall of Fame member and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson, Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button and Le Mans-winning driver, Mike Rockenfeller. Each offered a very unique perspective when setting up the car and competing throughout the race.
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The Garage 56 entry was also something very special for Hendrick Motorsports team owner, Rick Hendrick. Having the opportunity to both attend and compete at Le Mans was a "bucket list" item for the NASCAR Hall of Famer. And he wasn't going to do it if it wasn't going to be done right.
“Everybody in our company has touched this car,” Hendrick told NASCAR.com during the vehicle paint scheme unveil just prior to the 2023 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. “So, it’s been a major undertaking, but I’m really proud of it.”
Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon, also a NASCAR Hall of Famer, is an executive producer on the show. The production was a collaboration among NASCAR Studios, Griffin Van Malssen and director Brad Lockhart, along with Tim Clark, John Dahl, Amy Anderson, Tally Hair, and Matt Summers from NASCAR, who were also executive producers for the documentary.
“We wanted to capture what a monumental challenge it was to adapt a NASCAR Cup Series race car to sports car racing,” Gordon said. “Until you know the differences in weight and dimensions, we truly didn’t know what a challenge it would be.
“When you see it all come together and see (NASCAR chairman and CEO) Jim France’s vision, the complete effort by everyone involved,” Gordon added. “It’s such a great story.”
Starting in 2012, the Automobile Club de l'Quest (ACO), who sanctions the race, has allowed for a single-entry class at Le Mans that features innovative and experimental cars. It's an additional spot in the field highlighting motorsports' creativity without taking away a starting spot.
France shared his vision of NASCAR's entry during the kickoff announcement at Sebring International Raceway in March 2022, “From the early days of NASCAR, it was important to my father that we played a visible role in international motorsports, and there was no bigger stage than the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
While the Garage 56 Chevrolet had a lot of the Cup Series Next Gen DNA as its base, it was also very different from what NASCAR fans were used to seeing every Sunday. The car was built to last for 24 hours, and be competitive among the highly advanced, purpose-built prototypes and GT cars that race in the World Endurance Championship and IMSA on a regular basis. Cars that were specifically designed to take on the 38 turns of the famous Circuit de la Sarthe racecourse.
However, at 2,960 pounds (Cup cars weigh 3,485) with a target rating in the high 700 horsepower range, the car was built to take on the long Mulsanne straight and tackle the Porsche curves unlike any previous stock car. Goodyear designed tires exclusive to the race car, and a multitude of aerodynamics pieces were also added. Bits like dive planes, a sturdier front splitter and rear diffuser, a taller rear spoiler (two inches higher than a traditional Cup Series car) all contributed to the car being more suited for endurance racing. A much larger fuel cell was also utilized; 32 gallons compared to the traditional 20-gallon tanks present in the Cup Series.
According to Hendrick Motorsports vice president of competition Chad Knaus, who oversaw the entire project, weight reduction was another significant aspect of preparing the car for a long haul. He described to NASCAR.com what and where they needed to reduce.
“Everywhere, honestly,” he said after the car’s first night test at Daytona International Speedway. “We’ve worked with all of our partners, all of our single-source parts providers from NASCAR, whether it be BBS, AP with the brakes, you go all the way to the shocks, it’s all the way across the board. Everybody pitched in, and we got to work on this program. Everything on the car has been lightened up to the best of our ability – Dallara and us and the folks at NASCAR worked really hard on just about everything. It’s got composite disc brakes. The wheels are lighter than the NASCAR Cup wheel is. So really, front to back. Five Star stepped up, they got us lighter body panels. It’s everywhere. It’s not just one thing; it’s the whole thing.”
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One of the goals of the project was to showcase the innovation and engineering that’s at the core of the NASCAR Cup Series development. There isn’t a moment that a regular NASCAR Cup Series race car isn’t scrutinized by the engineering team whether at the race shop or at the track.
“I’ll tell you that (crew chief) Greg (Ives) and Chad (Knaus) take a lot of pride in this event, and they’ve taken a lot of pride in this car,” Hendrick said to NASCAR.com. “Little innovative things that we’ve done, I mean, some people don’t realize the engineering talent we have in NASCAR, how many engineers we have in our shop that are looking at every aspect of the car to try to make it better.”
“This car is unlike any other,” said Ives to NASCAR.com. “They feel like its big, it’s heavy, may not be able to handle as well, top speed might not be as high. But like I said, the (race organizers) ACO, the FIA, Dallara, all those people are communicating well with each other, gave us a target we needed to hit. I think they are happy that we are in that sentence, and that the true meaning of why there’s an innovative car in this paddock right now is to do exactly what we’re doing – bring another form of racing, bring in another form of technology to Le Mans, allow people to see it and maybe learn from it.”
While a lot of questions and wonders existing among fans and officials during pre-race scrutineering, there was little doubt what the Garage 56 Chevrolet was capable of once it took to the track during practice. Button was almost giddy with what the car immediately brought to the table.
“You know, there was a certain place on the course, Tetre Rouge, which is on the first part of the Mulsanne (Straight), where the LMP2 (faster prototypes) would try and overtake us,” Button told Road & Track magazine. “If they got it wrong and pulled out too early, they’d pull alongside us and then we would drag past them again down the straight.
“I loved it,” Button added. “It made me smile a lot on the track. I’m sure it annoyed a lot of drivers out there, but that’s what made me smile even more.”
He went on to say the weekend was as much fun as he’d ever had driving a race car. “I think one because it was so relaxed, but two because it was just utterly nuts for us to able to race a stock car at Le Mans against the GTs and the prototypes.”
Like Button, Johnson was filled with gratitude after the race.
“My heart is full,” Johnson said to Motorsport.com. “For all the reasons we know – coming here with NASCAR, Hendrick, Chevrolet, Goodyear. Many of the people here working were on (the) different teams that I won races and championships with. There were so many familiar faces, to have that experience was just off the charts.
“The fan reception – whether it was at the parade, or on the cool down lap just now. Even the corner marshals were going nuts. Everything was just incredible.”
“My bucket is full,” Johnson added. “I’m really happy.”