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Jenson Button and Jimmie Johnson to Race NASCAR’s Le Mans Camaro
Jenson Button and Jimmie Johnson to Race NASCAR’s Le Mans Camaro-November 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:10:46

A photo of Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller, and Jenson Button at an event in Florida.

If you’ve been crowned the best in the world at the one thing you’ve worked at all your life, what do you do next? Would you stick at it, trying to keep holding onto your crown, or would you retire graciously to leave a cloud of mystery around your legacy? For and , it doesn’t sound like they’re taking either option, and are instead just having a go at whatever they fancy.

That’s maybe why they’ll be taking on the 24 hour race at Le Mans this year. and the seven-time NASCAR cup series champion will join 2010 Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller at the Garage 56 team when it heads to the legendary French race later this year.

That might sound like an odd mix of drivers to take on Le Mans, but it starts to make sense when you hear what car the three will be driving. These three champs from three very different racing series .

A photo of Jimmie Johnson on the NASCAR podium.

“I’m super thrilled — it’s been at the top of my bucket list to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans someday,” said in a statement shared by the team. “To have this opportunity come — and to partner with everybody and this driver lineup — is truly an incredible opportunity and one that I am thankful to be a part of.”

The Garage 56 entry was announced by last year. The team has partnered with Chevrolet to prep a Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 racer for the grueling event.

To make the NASCAR racer Le Mans-ready, the car has been fitted with dive planes up front, side-view mirrors and new suspension components. Bigger changes made across the car include a different chassis to a standard NASCAR racer and a different engine.

A photo of the Chevrolet racer being driven at Le Mans this year.

The car was previously late last year, when Rockenfeller got his first taste behind the wheel. Now, the Garage 56 squad is preparing to hit the track once again at a two-day test at Daytona International Speedway.

In a team statement, Button said: “As a lifelong racing fan, I have always dreamed of racing certain cars, with and against certain drivers and competing in certain events.

“In June, a number of those dreams will come true in one event when I get to bring NASCAR to the world stage alongside my pals Jimmie and ‘Rocky’ for the 100th anniversary of the most prestigious race in the world. I’m really looking forward to sharing this journey with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and current and future NASCAR fans from around the world.”

A photo of the Brawn GP celebrating in 2009.

The whole plan sounds crazy. A NASCAR racer at Le Mans feels about as out of place as running in IndyCar. And now, with an F1 champ and a NASCAR victor at the wheel, I can’t decide if it makes the whole thing make more or even less sense?

I guess we all just have to wait with excitement until the car finally in June to find out which side of the fine line between madness and genius it lies.

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