Posted on by Zack Albert

LE MANS, France — Bonjour! Below is our live coverage of the Garage 56 project’s run at the 100th-anniversary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which ran Saturday through Sunday at the 8.467-mile Circuit de la Sarthe.

NASCAR.com provided periodic updates through the day, night and next morning of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, with driver changes and other news and notes from the 24-hour race, with the newest posts at the top of the page. For reference, Le Mans is six hours ahead of the United States’ Eastern Time zone, so the race began at 4 p.m. Saturday and ended 4 p.m. Sunday local time — 10 a.m. ET.

RELATED: Full coverage of Garage 56 | At-track photos: Le Mans

The Garage 56 car — a collaborative effort among NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear — is classified in the Innovative Car category, a single-car class among the 62 entrants.

All times listed are Eastern.

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11:56 a.m.: This will conclude live coverage of the 100th-anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the efforts of the Garage 56 project. The initiative was a special project brought on by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France, who was animated after adding to the legacy of his father, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., and his brother, Bill France Jr.

“That was unbelievable,” France said. “That was thousands of hours of hard work by hundreds of people that went into making this thing happen. And then the way the team and the pit crews and everybody performed all week, it was just fantastic. I hope my dad and my brother are somewhere up there looking down and smiling, but the goal when we set out was to try and finish the race running at the end and not be last. And we accomplished that.”

Jimmie Johnson and his wife, Chandra, embrace in the Garage 56 paddock at Le Mans
Zack Albert | NASCAR Studios

11:30 a.m.: Back from the trackside celebration at the end of the Le Mans pit road, the collaborative partners involved in bringing the Garage 56 project to life shared embraces, cheers and clinked glasses of champagne. There was elation, relief and tears at the end of the initiative to put NASCAR on the global stage, and the team received a special greeting from the international fans gathered outside the paddock.

Overall, Ferrari made a victorious return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans after a 50-year absence Sunday afternoon, its No. 51 entry ending Toyota’s win streak in the 24-hour classic at five consecutive titles. Other class winners were the No. 34 Inter Europol Competition team in LMP2 and the No. 33 Corvette Racing group in LM GTE Am.

10:03 a.m.: Mission accomplished. The Garage 56 contingent completed a years-long journey just after 4 p.m. local time in Le Mans, France, by doing exactly what it set out to: complete the 24-hour endurance race in a modified stock car. Jimmie Johnson steered the No. 24 across the start/finish line at the end of it in 39th place of the 62-car field. All told, the Garage 56 entry completed 285 laps — or 2,413.1 miles.

9:22 a.m.: Thirty-eight minutes from the end, and the Garage 56 No. 24 Chevy just finished its 275th lap — 2,328.425 miles.

9 a.m.: Twenty-three hours down and just one to go. Jimmie Johnson is set to finish out the car’s time on the course, and the lap counter just reached 270 (2,286.09 miles). The No. 24 Chevrolet shows 39th on the overall board after its extended stop.

8:30 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson is back aboard the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and the car is completing its 262nd lap. That most recent driver change marked the car’s 25th pit stop in the race, which has just 90 minutes remaining.

The No. 51 Ferrari has more breathing room at the head of the Hypercar pack after the second-running No. 8 Toyota crashed just 10 minutes earlier.

8:12 a.m.: Less than two hours to go, and Rockenfeller has pushed the Garage 56 Next Gen Camaro’s lap total to 260 — which translates to 2,201.42 miles.

7:38 a.m.: Mike Rockenfeller climbed back on board the Garage 56 No. 24 entry, and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 added a lap to bring its total to 255 before heading back to the pits for an assessment. The Hendrick Motorsports outfit indicated that repairs are complete, and that the car will be shaken down “for a couple laps.”

Out front, it’s still the No. 51 Ferrari in the lead with the No. 8 Toyota in pursuit. Two hours, 12 minutes left in the race.

6:45 a.m.: The Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has parked in the paddock having completed 254 laps, after Jenson Button drove the car back to the attention of the Hendrick Motorsports crew earlier in the hour.

“We have a drive line issue and the team is working to repair it now,” said Chad Knaus, Hendrick Motorsports VP of Competition in a statement. “The goal remains to finish the race.”

Three hours, 15 minutes remain, and the No. 51 Ferrari still holds the overall top spot.

6:10 a.m.: Lunchtime here in France, early breakfast on the USA’s East Coast, and the Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 continues to lap the Circuit de la Sarthe. The No. 24 entry in the Innovative Class  has clocked 253 laps thus far, with just less than four hours remaining. The time spent on a brake change has moved the group to 34th place in the overall order, in the middle of the LM GTE Am runners still on the track. Jenson Button remains in the car, which now claims 2,142.151 miles achieved in the endurance classic.

Up front, the fight for the overall honors is a tight contest between the No. 51 Ferrari AF Corse entry and the No. 8 from Toyota Gazoo Racing, which has won the last five overall Le Mans crowns.

5 a.m.: With almost exactly five hours left, the Garage 56 Next Gen car has crossed the 2,000-mile barrier by completing its 237th lap — putting it at 2,006.679 miles at the stripe. The No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is not nearly as pristine as when it started the event Saturday afternoon, showing 19 hours’ worth of road grime on the body panels.

Driving duties have been a fairly even split so far, according to car statistics on the No. 24 Chevy by the FIA-WEC. Mike Rockenfeller has driven the most laps (84) but has the fewest stints at six. Jenson Button is currently in the midst of his ninth stint with 80 laps in the books, and Jimmie Johnson has seven stints with 73 laps recorded.

The big odometer number puts the Garage 56 car into the beyond in terms of regular NASCAR events, reaching the equivalent of four Daytona 500s and still counting up the miles.

“The engine is doing great. The powertrain is looking good,” said Scott Meesters, director of special projects for ECR Engines. “The engine and all of its vitals are meeting what we’ve observed on all our durability runs at ECR in our shop. So right now we’re feeling really good about it. Honestly, other than the off the wall things that you can’t control, we felt really good coming into this race. Especially after all the testing and validation we’ve done. But at this point in time, in the race, we’re feeling really good right now. Anything could still happen, but to be able to get this far. It checks a lot of boxes and we know the product is good. It’s what it should be.”

Jenson Button checks out the monitors in the Garage 56 paddock
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

4:50 a.m.: The Garage 56 Chevy Camaro ZL1 heads to pit road for a driver swap, subbing Jenson Button into the car to spell Mike Rockenfeller. The No. 24 Chevrolet was briefly eased back into the garage stall for a necessary brake change.

The switch comes in between a pair of lead changes atop the overall leaderboard, with the No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing entry slipping by the No. 51 from Ferrari AF Corse during a pit-stop shuffle and then the Ferrari regaining it in a spirited scrap up front.

3:40 a.m.: A pit stop without driver change occurs for the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with 6 hours, 20 minutes remaining in the event. Mike Rockenfeller, who started the race for the Garage 56 project, stays in the car.

Ferrari No. 51 still leads overall, and Inter Europol Competition No. 34 (LMP2) and Iron Dames No. 85 Porsche 911 RSR (LM GTE Am) are the other class leaders.

2:42 a.m.: Mike Rockenfeller has hopped in the Garage 56 Chevy, taking the reins from Jimmie Johnson and peeling out back onto the circuit.

After the stop, the No. 24 Camaro ZL1 ranks third among the LM GTE field, and 31st on the big board. The No. 51 Ferrari AF Corse leads overall, with Toyota Gazoo Racing’s No. 8 next — some 18 seconds behind.

“When we saw that we were in the hunt to be leading the GT class is when we switched from a bit of ‘let’s just cruise here’ to ‘all right, we can actually race a lot of these guys,'” said Jordan Taylor, the project’s reserve driver and coach. “It feels like even though we’re not fighting them for a position it’s kind of nice to have that carrot to chase and a goal to beat them. This is when you see all the guys at Hendrick come to life and all their years of experience come into play.”

2:10 a.m.: Chalk up 200 laps for the Garage 56 No. 24. That’s the equivalent of 1,693.4 miles on the board.

2 a.m.: Two-thirds of the way through in the 24 Hours of Le Mans — 16 hours in and eight left to run. The international broadcast is spotlighting fans conked-out asleep on the grounds of the Circuit de la Sarthe, which seems a touch cruel.

The Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is still motoring, with Jimmie Johnson just crossing the line for the car’s 197th lap in at 3 minutes, 53.355 seconds. That’s 1,667.999 miles total, and the car is slotted 29th on the overall leaderboard.

1:15 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson is pressing on with his morning stint in the Garage 56 Camaro ZL1, and the car shows P27 with 48 of the 62 cars still running. Evan Kureczka, Hendrick Motorsports’ pit development manager, said the No. 24 team had made 18 pit stops, changing all four tires for all but one stop. The outlier was a quick trip down pit lane for an aerodynamic adjustment.

Kureczka said the pit crew’s involvement in the Garage 56 testing process has helped them get some seasoning for the challenges of this race.

“We had the opportunity to do some testing before, so this isn’t their first rodeo doing this,” Kureczka said. “We did a roughly 30-hour test in Sebring, so we have some experience on our side. We’ve been working on making sure these guys are hydrated, eat well and actually get a little bit of sleep overnight so they would be sharp in the morning. I think catching a little bit of sleep and taking care of their bodies is going to put us in a pretty good position to finish the race strong.”

Roughly 8 hours, 45 minutes are left to run.

12:45 a.m.: Creeping closer to nine hours remaining in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Garage 56 car has crossed the 1,500-mile mark — 1,515.593 miles to put a finer point on it. Jimmie Johnson is taking the wheel from Jenson Button in overcast conditions, with weather as cool as it has been since the start.

The No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar continues to lead, with the No. 51 Ferrari and the No. 2 Cadillac running second and third. Attrition has claimed two of the 16 Hypercar entries, while four LMP2 cars have retired, and eight of the 21 LM GTE entries are out of the race.

11:45 p.m.: Starting to see the first signs of daybreak here at Le Mans, and Jenson Button remains behind the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet. Earlier in the race week, Button had issued a pre-emptive apology to the fans trying to sleep through the night, saying that the V-8 sound likely would be disruptive, waking the revelers who are trying to sleep off a full night of Carlsbergs in the fan village. Either way, the engine note is still distinctive; a full-bodied experience that’s resonating through the circuit. Button said he got new ear molds to help offset the sound.

The pit crew is finding moments to rest in between stops for service and driver changes. But those checking the monitors can see that stats so far — 169 laps completed by the Garage 56 car, 1,430.923 miles and showing 28th on the overall scoreboard with just one LM GTE car ahead of it — the class-leading Kessel Racing No. 57 Ferrari.

Hendrick Motorsports crew members rest in the Garage 56 paddock in the early morning hours at Le Mans
Zack Albert | NASCAR Studios

10:50 p.m.: Jenson Button continues to drive through the night, and it’s now 1,295.451 miles traveled for the Garage 56 Chevrolet. The crew revealed that just before the driver change, the team noticed a slow leak on the right-rear tire — an air-pressure hazard flagged by the real-time “SightLine” tire intelligence on the Next Gen Camaro ZL1’s Goodyear rubber.

“We were monitoring the tire pressure sensors and our engineers happened to see that the right-rear tire was starting to lose some pressure,” said Chad Knaus, Hendrick Motorsports VP of Competition. “It was great timing, they did a great job catching it. The team was able to react and get it in here and get some new tires put on the car. It was awesome.”

Approaching the 13-hour mark — 5 a.m. local time in France — much of the media center has cleared out with several in the press corps getting some shut-eye. The main grandstands — packed for the pomp and circumstance before the race’s start — are now virtually open seating.

10 p.m.: Halfway home in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mike Rockenfeller still making time here, with 141 laps — 1,193.847 miles — on the board for the Garage 56 No. 24 Chevrolet team. The No. 51 Ferrari AF Corse team has cycled back to the overall lead at the race’s midpoint, and the No. 30 Duqueine Team Oreca (LMP2) and the Project 1-AO “Rexy” Porsche 911 RSR (LM GTE Am) are the other class leaders.

Barely a minute past halfway, Jenson Button has returned to the Garage 56 seat.

9:30 p.m.: Quick pit stop for the Garage 56 No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports car, which is closing in on a driver change to put Jenson Button back in the seat to get the team to dawn. That’s 132 laps on the chart, 1,126.111 miles complete, and 36th place in the order.

Big developments in the most recent moments as the overall leader — the No. 94 Peugeot — sustained serious front-end damage with a shunt in the first Mulsanne chicane’s tire barrier. That briefly handed the overall lead to the No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing team in the Hypercar class. Other class leaders nearing the halfway mark are the No. 30 Duqueine Team Oreca (LMP2) and the Kessel Racing No. 57 Ferrari (LM GTE Am).

8:30 p.m.: That’s now 119 laps on the board for the Garage 56 No. 24 Chevy, which puts it over the 1,000-mile plateau — 1,007.573 miles, to be more precise. Rockenfeller clocked a lap of 3 minutes, 51.881 seconds last time by, and the car is shown 38th in the running order with 13 1/2 hours to go.

7:47 p.m.: The No. 24 Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has completed 111 laps — 939.837 miles. After his last stint, Jimmie Johnson said that the team was caught by a safety car deployment, losing a lap in the process. Still, the car is shown in 36th place in the overall 62-car field, as we’re currently under a full-course yellow.

Even with all the activity, the team is keeping an eye on the goings-on from the NASCAR weekend at Sonoma Raceway, nine time zones away. Kyle Larson put the Hendrick Motorsports No. 17 on the pole for the Xfinity Series race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM), and some of the crew members in Le Mans assist with the organization’s Xfinity group.

The crew wrote up a makeshift schedule on a piece of tape on the paddock wall, showing the local translation of the start times. That’s right, the Xfinity Series race sets sail at 2 a.m. Le Mans time, with a 9:30 p.m. start Sunday for the Cup Series.

Hendrick Motorsport crew watch Xfinity Series qualifying at Le Mans
Zack Albert | NASCAR Digital Media
Schedule taped up on the Le Mans paddock
Zack Albert | NASCAR Digital Media

7:25 p.m.: The Garage 56 team has executed its most recent driver change, putting Mike Rockenfeller back in the car and giving Jimmie Johnson a breather. Johnson said that conditions were adverse — the early part of his stint was marked by downpours, but he said he noted the fireworks after things cleared before his time was up.

“And what was frightening, especially the way it took place,” Johnson said. “There was an awful shower at the start of the lap and it was just pouring, so to come around the corner on slicks and hit just a downpour was pretty gnarly. Really to get the car around, get wets on it, and then really kind of understand how the wets would perform. We probably ran two or three laps too long on the wets. They really, really fell apart once the track started to dry. Put the slicks back on, and as fast as GT cars are on track and running the guys down.”

Johnson said he was soon off to bed and aiming to resume his driving duties around 6 a.m. local time — in 4 1/2 hours. But first he signed an autograph for a fan, putting his signature on a Jimmie Johnson shirt worn by a firefighter from Le Mans. “May the force be with you,” he said.

A firefighter from Le Mans meets Jimmie Johnson at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Zack Albert | NASCAR Studios

6:10 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson’s double-stint continues after a pit stop and the race — 16 hours to go — is under a full-course yellow for a crash involving the No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar driven by Kamui Kobayashi, who is now out of the race. The No. 94 Peugeot leaves overall, which would turn this place into pandemonium if the French automaker were to win Le Mans for the first time since 2009.

Mike Rockenfeller, who began the event for the No. 24 Garage 56 team, is on deck to go in, roughly a half-hour from now. Button is set to follow in the middle of the morning, then a return to the cockpit for Johnson, which should time with the sun rising over the French countryside.

Johnson has seen a little bit of everything this go-round, including nighttime racing, wet-weather conditions and a massive fireworks and drone show on the Circuit de la Sarthe’s grounds.

The clock has swept past midnight here in France, but the party atmosphere hasn’t slowed in the fan village.

Jimmie Johnson awaits his next stint in the Garage 56 car at Le Mans
Zack Albert | NASCAR Studios

4:25 p.m.: The race has progressed past the quarter-pole for the full distance, by the six-hour mark. Jenson Button is out of the No. 24 Chevrolet after a lengthy stint, and Jimmie Johnson is in, scheduled to do a three-hour bit. Button immediately grabbed a snack, and his effort drew a high-five from Garage 56 crew chief Greg Ives, who told the veteran driver, “Great job!”

Johnson scooted away from the pit box just as rain began to fall again. The ever-changing weather has played havoc with portions of the race, with precipitation heavier in some places than others.

That’s 71 laps in the books for the Garage 56 Camaro — 601.157 miles, nearly equivalent to the Coca-Cola 600 run two weeks ago, but still going.

3:30 p.m.: Make it 60 laps for the Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which equals 508.02 miles and another threshold passed. A driver change is approaching, and Ferrari runs 1-2 at the top of the Hypercar pack with 18 1/2 hours remaining.

The No. 24 Garage 56 Chevrolet rounds a bend at the Circuit de la Sarthe
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

3:10 p.m.: Jenson Button remains in the Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Le Mans, extending his stint after a prolonged safety-car period. His most recent stop was for an aero adjustment and to switch out tires; the British driver briefly came in for the Hendrick Motorsports crew to affix intermediate wet-weather tires during rain showers, but the group has switched back to slicks with the cloud cover beginning to dissipate.

Justin Fantozzi, Goodyear’s operations manager for global race tires, said his group expected some degree of precipitation at some point in the 24-hour event.

“We were able to do a lot of testing with the vehicle before we got here, and we recognized it was going to rain in June in France, but you never know where it’s going to rain or how much it’s going to rain,” Fantozzi said. “The intermediate tire is really good when it’s starting to dry out or when you only have a little bit of precipitation, and the wet tire is for when it is going to rain for a while. Everything looked really good (with the intermediate tire). Jenson was quite pleased with the balance of the car, and everything was nice.”

Jimmie Johnson remains on deck for the No. 24 team’s next driver change, which would provide the seven-time champion a chance to navigate the course under a setting sun.

2:25 p.m.: Back to green after a lengthy safety car, the Hypercar battle up front is heating up, but the Garage 56 car is running its own race and still motoring. The track appears to still be damp in areas, but on the cloud-covered main straight, the umbrellas have been put away.

Jenson Button is still the pilot of record, and the No. 24 Chevrolet has logged 47 laps — 397.949 miles. Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to take over at the next driver swap.

1:30 p.m.: Under a safety-car period here at Le Mans. With showers moving in, the Garage 56 team has swapped to intermediate wet-weather tires for Button.

The No. 24 Chevy is currently circulating on the track — “under caution” for the statesiders — ahead of the No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse, which is currently third overall behind the leading Peugeot No. 94.

12:55 p.m.: The 24 Hours of Le Mans has already had several crashes and incidents, but the Garage 56 entry keeps chugging along with 33 laps in the books and Jenson Button still behind the wheel.

Jimmie Johnson made 12 laps in his stint — just under an hour at 58 minutes, 54 seconds — his first laps in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and he’s already savoring the fan reaction. The No. 24 crew added fuel and four fresh tires during their stop.

“It was incredible,” Johnson said after emerging from the Next Gen Garage 56 car. “I had slow zones that took place with two or three big crashes on track. It was a totally different experience to work through those areas and take back off. All in all, just an amazing experience. One of the slow zones, it was a very crowded area with the fans — they were waving at me so I was waving back. It was really really fun. I want every lap I can get. As long as they can keep me in the car, I’ll take it. Jenson is going to do a double, I’ll come back and do a double and then we’ll work from there.”

Recent developments have stirred up the overall race. Rain has moved in, heavy in places, and it’s turned the southern end of the course into a treacherous area. Moments before the skies opened, the No. 94 Peugeot moved into second place to the delight of the adoring French crowd. The No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse with pilot Antonio Fuoco leads overall.

12:15 p.m.: Jenson Button has thundered past the start/finish line here at Le Mans, loading in for his first stint — which is scheduled to be a double. The car has recorded 26 laps (220.142 miles). Remarks from Jimmie Johnson after his first laps are coming soon.

Noon: The two-hour mark is here, and Jimmie Johnson continues to power the No. 24 Chevrolet along the Circuit de la Sarthe. No. 2 Cadillac (Earl Bamber aboard) is the overall leader, with Penske Porsche Motorsport running second and third.

Rockenfeller’s opening stint was 14 laps (1 hour, 13 minutes, 13 seconds) to start the race. The team added four tires and refueled during that stop for service.

“It was a tricky stint with the first chicane down in Mulsanne completely wet,” Rockenfeller said. “I just tried to make no mistakes, stay trouble free. It’s a long race so you don’t want to waste it in the first lap. The car feels good, balance-wise we have some issues because we thought it was going to rain more, so we adjusted the balance. But we will react to that later in the race and adjust tire pressure. I think the track will grip up again and I think we can go a bit faster from now on.”

11:25 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson is now in the No. 24 Chevrolet, turning his first laps in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car just roared by with its distinctive sound, putting its 17th lap — 143.939 miles — in the books. Ferrari No. 50 has retaken the lead, but the No. 2 Cadillac Racing entry is the new second-place challenger in Hypercar and overall.

11:10: a.m.: The Garage 56 Chevy Camaro ZL1 reached the one-hour and 100-mile mark, putting 12 laps (101.6 miles) on the race-day odometer. The team is readying for its first driver change with Jimmie Johnson about to climb aboard in place of starter Mike Rockenfeller. The team had indicated that it would make shorter single stints earlier in the race to get each driver some time, then shift to double stints later.

The weather remains cloudy but less so now, with some sun peeking through. Because of the size of the course, the circuit will sometimes experience different weather conditions in its various sections.

10:41 a.m.: Most of the race has been conducted under safety-car conditions for repairs to the chicane barrier after a Lap 1 accident. We are back going with just six laps on the clock so far for the Garage 56 No. 24 Chevrolet. Back green, the two Toyota Hypercars have supplanted the Ferraris at the front.

The pit crew — champions of their class in the Le Mans Pit Stop Challenge — is already taking a break, resting while they can with a projected 25-30 stops due up for the full distance. Seen reclining on the garage-stall floor in the TV broadcast was Evan Kureczka, Hendrick Motorsports’ pit development coach and pit-sign holder for the Garage 56 car. He said pre-race that his group is aiming to be even-keeled for the 24 hours, instead of letting the ups and downs shake them. More on the Hendrick pit crew and the differences in Le Mans pit stops vs. NASCAR pit rules was detailed earlier in the week here.

10 a.m.: With “Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Richard Strauss (Ric Flair fans, you know what this music is) finishing the formation lap, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has begun at Circuit de la Sarthe. The Garage 56 entry is away, and there’s action already in front of it. Sebastien Buemi has put the No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar ahead of the front-row starting Ferraris, and the No. 311 Action Express Racing entry driven to start by Jack Aitken has sustained significant nose damage in a shunt at one of the backstraight chicanes on Lap 1.

9:55 a.m.: The formation lap is under way, and LeBron James gave the command for cars to roll off the grid.

The pre-race ceremonies at 24 Hours of Le Mans
Zack Albert | NASCAR Studios

9:45 a.m.: A jammed-in crowd sang along to the playing of French national anthem, and LeBron James is headed to the starter’s stand. Mike Rockenfeller is suiting up for his first stint in the No. 24 Chevrolet, which — as expected — was a big draw on the pre-race gridwalk.

9:10 a.m.: Fifty minutes until the start time of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Garage 56 entry currently sits at the head of the LM GTE Am grid, and seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson was the first driver to arrive at the car. Kamui Kobayashi and other members of the Toyota Gazoo Racing stopped over to wish Chad Knaus and the rest of the team good luck.

A monumental energy is buzzing on the pre-race grid. Honorary starter LeBron James has arrived and was whisked away in a sleek Porsche safety vehicle as pre-race ceremonies continue. NASCAR vice chairman Mike Helton took the front seat of another pace vehicle as parade laps draw nearer here at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Other celebrities on the grid include NFL legend Tom Brady and Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc.

7:40 a.m.: The Garage 56 entry has left its garage stall on the end of the Le Mans pit road, ready to take its place on the starting grid. The No. 24 Chevrolet will start ahead of the LM GTE Am class and behind the LMP2 cars.

Hendrick Motorsports confirmed that Mike Rockenfeller is scheduled to do the first stint, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Jenson Button.

More visitors have made trips to the Garage 56 paddock area during pre-race, among them FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and actor Patrick Dempsey, who is co-owner of the Dempsey Proton Racing team, which will field the No. 77 Porsche 911 RSR in the 24-hour race.

6:35 a.m.: The Garage 56 car participated in the race-day morning warm-up, completing three laps with Mike Rockenfeller behind the wheel. The best lap in the 15-minute tuning session was 3 minutes, 59.403 seconds.

From left: Rick and Linda Hendrick, and Chad and Brooke Knaus pose or pictures in the Garage 56 pit stall.
Zack Albert | NASCAR Studios

6 a.m.: “Good morning, Le Mans!” was the public-address system’s greeting at the circuit’s official opening at 9 a.m. local time. Weather this morning is overcast with occasional showers expected through the day — the first rain in nearly two weeks for the region. So when Hendrick VP of Competition Chad Knaus asked Goodyear CEO Rich Kramer if he had any questions, he added: “Looks like we’re going to have the opportunity to run some wet-weather tires, too.”

Other dignitaries have already made their way to the last stall on the pit lane for a morning check-in with the team: NASCAR CEO and Chairman Jim France, executive vice chair Lesa France Kennedy, vice chair Mike Helton and senior VP of racing development and strategy Ben Kennedy. Rick Hendrick posed for pictures with his wife, Linda, and Knaus’ wife, Brooke, also joined in for a group photo in front of the No. 24 car.

Posted on by Holly Cain

LE MANS, France — In so many ways, Friday’s annual Grande Parade Des Pilotes through the historic streets of Le Mans could not have been more appropriate or telling for the NASCAR Garage 56 operation.   

The massive crowds in downtown Le Mans under the shadow of the Cathedrale St-Julien du Mans were orderly, but energetic and enthusiastic, pushing forward in hopes of catching the eye of the NASCAR Garage 56 drivers — seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, Formula One champion Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller — riding side-by-side atop a Chevrolet Camaro convertible. 

rodney sandstorm
Jordan Taylor as his alter ego, “Rodney Sandstorm” | Getty Images

Just behind the trio in the parade was the team’s reserve driver, multi-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship champion Jordan Taylor. … or rather his alter ego “Rodney Sandstorm” in full “Rodney regalia” and met with full appreciation from the crowds.

The always highly anticipated parade featured the entire starting field of drivers for Saturday’s 100th celebration of the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race and marks both the culmination of nearly two years of effort to bring an iconic American entry to the grand race, but also the launch of the real work: faring well in the race.  

MORE: At Le Mans, at long last, we race | Full Garage 56 coverage

The American team has been overwhelmed by the support and adoration from the fans here at this worldwide stage of Le Mans and acknowledges the grand opportunity to participate. But this effort is, after all, a group of some of the most competitive and accomplished people in racing — from the Hendrick Motorsports crew fielding the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to the A-list driver lineup to the racing executives who have prioritized this meaningful entry. 

Savoring moments like the cheering crowd have been part and parcel of the Le Mans experience for the Garage 56 crew — from NASCAR chairman Jim France to Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick to IMSA President John Doonan and all the executives from Goodyear and Chevrolet in town and trackside. All seizing the joy. There has been no question the passionate sports car crowd is enjoying the team. And no question the team is enjoying the Le Mans crowd. 

“The car’s been performing very well, all our durability testing has really put us in a comfortable place with the car’s consistency, just everything’s in a good place,” Johnson said.   

“As I’m sure you can pick up on, we’re really here in race mode. Sure, we’re having fun, but we really are focused on performance in every aspect and we’d love to set a high bar for future Garage 56 programs and certainly want to represent NASCAR to our fullest potential.”

The car has already impressed so much, the WEC sanctioning body issued a ruling acknowledging the — perhaps unexpected — speed of the car. 

Although the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 is in the single-car “Innovative Car” class, because of the sustained speed it’s shown all week in practices and qualifying the WEC announced Friday it will allow the No. 24 to grid ahead of the 21 GTE class cars it has out-paced easily and consistently. 

It’s all something the team has taken in stride. Hendrick Motorsports boasts the most championships in NASCAR history. It is used to raising and setting the bar. And the work put in by the team for the past year and a half — the 24-hour tests, long days at Daytona International Speedway, Austin’s Circuit of The Americas road course and multiple visits to rural Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway — has, at last, paid off and set the team up for a historical run this weekend. 

“It’s huge,” Hendrick said, of France’s effort bringing the Garage 56 project to fruition. “To see something he wants to do that bad and fulfill a family dream, that means a lot to me and we wanted to make sure we showed up professionally with a car that’s capable and we wanted to show everybody here the technology and how sharp our people and crew are from pit crews to mechanics and I think that’s been on display. 

“Other teams have come down [to our pits] just to hear the motor run and watch our guys work. I think we’ve shown them the high level of technology and expertise that NASCAR has is not what it was 30 years ago.

“This has been fun. I told our guys when we started, the one thing we have to do is be professional, look professional and when people walk by they are impressed with the way you handle yourself, the technology on the car, the way you go about your testing.” 

France has been, unquestionably, the great impetus behind the Garage 56 project — from inception to track to Saturday’s flag to start the iconic event. 

“It’s been great,” France said. “Rick Hendrick and his entire organization and Chad [Knaus] have done an unbelievable job the way they’ve taken this step-by-step to the point we’ve got it over here and they even won the pit stop competition. It’s another testimonial to the NASCAR guys.

“The response [from everyone] has been fantastic. The whole team with Rick [Hendrick], what all his guys have done, is unbelievable. The only credit I can take is getting Rick, Goodyear and GM together to help us with this project and they are all on board and it’s been first class.” 

Posted on by Zack Albert

LE MANS, France – Jim France was watching the final test of the Garage 56 project from behind the pit wall of Sebring International Raceway. The NASCAR chairman and CEO was full of expectation that April day, ruminating about how the American stock-car entry into the sports-car world of the 24 Hours of Le Mans would be received.

“The thing that I’m most proud of is the partners that have all come in …,” France said, referring to the collaboration among NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear that developed and launched a full race team for the French endurance event’s centennial celebration. But France’s words trailed off and he paused, allowing the test car to roar past on Sebring’s main straightaway. Unclear was whether he stopped to allow himself to be heard or to enjoy the modified Next Gen car’s V-8 rumble on another hot lap.

“… and the sound of that race car,” France said with a grin and a pump of his fist.

Nearly two months after that Sebring afternoon, the Garage 56 project’s date with the 24 Hours of Le Mans has arrived. The twice-around-the-clock race starts Saturday at 10 a.m. ET (4 p.m. locally) and marks the culmination of months of planning, testing and dreaming big for the group, which is entered in the “Innovative Car” class in the 62-car field. It’s also the realization of a vision from France, who has followed his father’s path in bringing NASCAR to the international stage.

“I mean, it’s like Christmas,” said team owner Rick Hendrick, noting France’s elation in the run-up to the Le Mans 24. “I think it’s something his dad wanted done, so he’s got a shot to fulfill the family dream. But I have never, and I’ve known him for 40 years, I’ve never seen him this excited about anything.”

John Doonan, Jim France, Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller, Rick Hendrick and Chad Knaus stand and pose for a photo

The project planted some of its roots three years ago, said Chad Knaus, Hendrick Motorsports VP of Competition. At the time, Knaus had been recruited to assist seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and the Action Express team with its participation in IMSA endurance events. Shortly thereafter, a letter arrived.

” ‘Mr. France requests your attendance in Le Mans,’ ” Knaus recalled the memo reading. “And I was like, ‘What in the world is that about?’ So I ended up coming over here with Mr. France for a short stint. Unbeknownst to me, he already had the wheels spinning on what his plan was. He was kind of baiting us in from the very start, and he had a grand master plan.”

Those first visits helped Knaus soak in information about what a Garage 56 effort would entail, and meetings with Chevrolet and Goodyear followed. All the findings were relayed to Hendrick, and the project lifted off from the runway with a March 2022 unveiling.

“The excitement at that point just skyrocketed, and what we saw last year as a company at Hendrick Motorsports, we knew that we wanted to be involved in Le Mans,” Knaus said. “We knew that we wanted to take part in it. We wanted to show everybody what Hendrick Motorsports was capable of doing with a Gen-7 car. And, gosh, it’s hard to believe it was only about 18 months ago when we had our first meeting, and here we sit today with a car that we feel very comfortable with. The drivers have been complimentary, a pit crew that is capable of pitting the car at a very fast pace, and welcomed with open arms.”

That embrace has been felt at most every corner from the largely European contingent at Le Mans, which has been billed as the “Race of the Century” – a nod to the 100th anniversary but also to the compelling competition among the powerhouses in the top Hypercar class, which will pit the pole-starting Ferrari effort against contenders from Porsche, Toyota, Cadillac and Peugeot.

NASCAR’s participation has drawn at least some of its own spotlight, not just from the vehicle’s novelty and the starry driver lineup of Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller, but in how it has performed during testing. The No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 quickly shot atop the speed chart for the LMGTE Am class during Sunday’s open test day, and the car has maintained that pace for the balance of the week. The performance prompted World Endurance Championship (WEC) officials to reverse course overnight Thursday; the Garage 56 car was initially scheduled to start at the rear of the field as an add-on entrant, but given its weeklong pace, it will take the grid ahead of the GT-class cars and behind the faster LMP2 prototypes.

The brow-raising speed and the car’s throaty engine note have so far been distinctive among the others in the field, just as intended.

“Just to see the reaction from the crowd, it feeds our team, so they’re so proud,” Hendrick said. “And just to watch the fan reaction and read all the comments about it being a beast, and all the TikToks —  my granddaughter sent me all these TikTok things that fans are sending in. It’s just been better than I anticipated. Reading all the articles, I thought at the beginning, it was gonna be ‘hey, these guys don’t know what they’re doing, they can’t compete, they won’t last. It won’t be fast, they’ll be in the way.’ And just then to see all the teams come down, from Ferrari and different other organizations come in to see the car, and want to hear it run.”

The Garage 56 car has already stood out among its sports-car peers, distant brethren on the massive Circuit de la Sarthe. Photos of the hulking Camaro on track and in the full-field grid photo have launched a fleet of motoring memes.

“I’ve seen a bunch of fans already, and they just can’t stop talking about the sound of it,” said Jordan Taylor, the program’s reserve driver and coach. “Social media has blown up about it, and the pictures look hilarious how big it looks on track compared to everyone else. I heard someone say that when they were in the slipstream of it, it punches such a big hole in the air that the pitot tube, which measures air pressure, went to zero. It was like it was in a vacuum behind us. It definitely punches such a big hole in the air, but it’s awesome to see the reception that everyone has given.”

A full field photo of the Le Mans cars illustrates just how big NASCAR's Garage 56 entry is

The greeting has been a warm one, from competitors along the pit road to the fans who stacked the Garage 56’s autograph line earlier in the week. Anyone wearing a Garage 56 team shirt was ripe for a nudge. “Your car?” one conversation went through a thick accent, before the fan moved his fingers to his lips to make the universal sign for “chef’s kiss.”

“There’s no reason not to love this car. It’s just … it’s something you draw on your wall as a kid,” Button said. “It’s got big wings here and there, it’s loud, it’s aggressive-looking, and it kind of looks like a road car, do you know what I mean? So people can relate to it a lot more than the Hypercars that are racing in Le Mans.”

Friday was a relatively quiet day at the 8.467-mile circuit, with no on-track activity before Saturday’s early warm-up and only the glamorous driver parade ahead for the drivers. The Hendrick Motorsports crew was set to focus on detail work and finishing touches, after changing to the race engine and sorting out some issues with the car’s sensors the day before.

The car has already made an impression on Le Mans, which was part of the project’s goal. The next mission is the race itself, a test of endurance and another opportunity to showcase NASCAR to an international audience.

“To be over here and competing on a global stage in the biggest road-racing event probably in the world, and the performance of the team and the drivers and everybody … when I talked to Rick about coming over, I said we’re gonna try and get a big spotlight shining on NASCAR. We sure don’t want to fall on our ass when we get over there,” France said. “So far, it’s not over yet, but we’re holding our own.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway
(⏰ Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX, FOX Sports App | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in California, the 16th points-paying race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.

Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | Sonoma 101

📍 Location: Sonoma, California
📐 Track length: 1.99 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $8,054,721
📏 Race distance: 218.9 miles | 110 laps
🔢 Stages: 25 | 55 | 110 (Note: there will be no actual “stage breaks”; points are awarded at each lap marker noted)
—
🚪 Entry list: Cup Series drivers entered
📋 Starting lineup: Denny Hamlin on pole | Full recap
🚗 Pit stall assignments: See where drivers will pit
🏆 Most recent winner: Daniel Suárez | No. 99 driver re-watches, reacts to win

Key things to watch 🔑

Top story line

CHASE ELLIOTT’S RETURN, PART DEUX. For the second time in the past several weeks, Elliott will make his return to the Cup Series after being sidelined — albeit for very different reasons than his injury earlier this season. NASCAR’s most popular driver was suspended for the race at St. Louis, but will strap back in Sunday as he aims to put a rocky start to 2023 in his rearview and focus on the road ahead. The path forward isn’t a simple one, however, as Elliott’s seven races missed thus far have him buried just inside the top 30 in points and in likely must-win territory in order to make the playoffs. The good news for him? He has a shot to win at any of the remaining regular-season tracks, and Sunday marks just as good a spot for him as any. Though he’s yet to win at Sonoma, Elliott’s seven road-course wins are just shy of a pair of Hall of Famers (Jeff Gordon, 9; Tony Stewart, 8) and it’s wildly unlikely that he won’t someday — perhaps even by the end of this season — be atop that list at some point. His average finish of 8.16 on road courses is by far the best among active drivers as well (Tyler Reddick is second at 12.19) and there’s no better way for Elliott to officially stamp his mark on the 2023 season and re-announce his reign as road-course king than with a win out West.

ICYMI: Elliott moves on, aims for rhythm in return | Hendrick accepts suspension, comments on aggressive driving

History tells us…

ROAD COURSES ARE A YOUNG MAN’S GAME (LATELY). Somewhat remarkably, drivers 30 years old and younger have won 17 of the past 18 road-course races, and the one who wasn’t may not be the driver you’re thinking of. It was not that long ago that the aforementioned Elliott seemed to be battling Martin Truex Jr. — the second-oldest full-timer in the series — for every road-course trophy. The one outlier in the past 18 races has been AJ Allmendinger, however, with Truex struggling to contend for road-course wins the past few years. It’s an interesting phenomenon to observe, the more you think about it. Driving styles have unquestionably gotten more aggressive over the years, and as more and more road courses are added to the schedule it seems that the line of what is acceptable keeps getting pushed farther out there. For so long there were just two static road courses on the schedule, with the sport’s current longtime mainstays taking cues from their elders who only raced during this era that saw a very specific style of road-racing decorum. A new and unwritten driver code appears to be in store these days, however, and the old guard has yet to fully embrace it. Keep this in mind if any of the Truex/Allmendinger/Kevin Harvick/Denny Hamlin/Kyle Busch contingent finds themselves racing for the win against, say, a young, hungry and aggressive driver who won on a road course last year at Circuit of The Americas. Just spitballing here.

🔍 FULL ANALYSIS:

He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…

CHRIS BUESCHER. Last year’s top three at Sonoma — Daniel Suárez, Chris Buescher and Michael McDowell, respectively — all nabbed their best-ever finishes at the track, and honestly any of the three of them fit the mold here. It’s Buescher, specifically, that I have my eye on, however. His Cup wins have come few and far between — one in 2016, one last year in the Bristol Night Race — but it should not surprise you if he winds up in Victory Lane on Sunday. The extremely underrated road racer has finished in the top 10 in the last six road-course races — the longest active streak in the series, and the longest any driver has put together since Busch’s eight straight from 2015-18. In the list of best average road-course finish among active drivers, Buescher’s 14.81 ranks ninth overall (in a strong sample size of 27 races), with the eight drivers above him combining for six Cup Series championships. In his last eight starts alone he’s averaged a stellar 8.13 finish, with seven of his eight total road-course top 10s coming in them. RFK Racing has been a team clearly on the rise in 2023 and Buescher is clearly due.

Saturday’s sessions

As expected, recent road-course dominator Tyler Reddick was fast when it counted — but unexpectedly, his 23XI Racing boss and Toyota stablemate over at Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin, edged him out in the final seconds of qualifying for his first career Sonoma pole. Given their recent road-course acumens, it still feels more likely Reddick goes out and wins Sunday, but the pole — Hamlin’s first on a road course since 2018 — may add a further spark to a No. 11 team that had already been showing recent speed. Perhaps this is an indicator of what’s to come over the summer with this group. Also, notably, Kyle Larson was off in qualifying after leading practice and looking like the man to beat all weekend to that point. He’ll start 16th in search of his first Sonoma win.

Inside the Race 🔍

NASCAR.com’s Kim Coon and Todd Gordon analyze the ‘No stage break’ rule at Sonoma and how teams can adjust.

Familiar favorites ⭐️

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles. 

• Paint Scheme Preview: Bowman, Harvick bring new schemes to California | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Did Suárez find the spark he needs to make a run? | Latest driver rankings
• Fantasy Fastlane: Is Tyler Reddick the new road-course king? | Top plays, Fantasy Live advice
• Betting odds: Favorites, long shots to win on Sunday | Top bets, underdog picks 
• Stacking Pennies: LaJoie recaps his day in the No. 9 and moving forward | Listen to the podcast

💎 NASCAR 75: Learn more about the history of the sport, from pioneers to current stars | Visit NASCAR 75 hub

Hot off the press 📰

Key stories and breaking news from the week leading up to the race.

• On the bubble: Defending winner Suárez shares playoff thoughts entering the race | Read more
• Out in the open: NASCAR displays counterfeit part from No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford| Read more
• Helping hand: Martin Truex Jr. enjoying a new resource in 2023 — Tyler Reddick | Read more
• Advance to Victory Lane: Elliott has chance to get season back on track | See projected results
• No penalty here: ‘Really hard racing’ at crux of Cindric, Dillon incident | Read more
• No place like home: An emotional Erik Jones earns first Money in the Bank 150 victory at Berlin Raceway | Read more
• Penalty alert: NASCAR levies L1-level penalty against No. 43 Cup team post-St. Louis | Read more
• Stacking Pennies: Corey discusses adjusting to the No. 9 car | Hear his words
• Twice as nice: Inaugural Xfinity Series race at Sonoma attracts double-duty drivers | Read more
• Safety first: Next Gen receives significant safety updates set to debut at Atlanta | Read more
• Exclusive video: Watch footage from crash test that helped inform decision-making | Watch the video
• Busch is back: Analysis: Kyle Busch surges back to title contention with RCR | Read more

Get in on the action 💰

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.

• Fantasy Live: Participate in interactive gameplay from week to week | Choose your lineup
• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here
• The Action Network: Picks and predictions for Sunday’s race | Expert analysis | Best race-day play

Sundays in Sonoma 🍷

A popular fixture of the NASCAR schedule for decades, relive some of the best moments and see photos from last year’s race.

• Winner, winner: Suárez makes history  at Sonoma with dominant first win | Full race recap
• Final laps: Spanish call: Listen in as Suárez crosses the line at Sonoma | Watch here
• At-track photos: See best scenes from last year’s event | Scroll through gallery
• Relive in GIFs: Recap the 2022 race with the best from out West | Take a look
• A history of sippers: All-time wins: Sonoma Raceway | Take a look
• Gold rush: NASCAR’s famous firsts out West | Take a look

Take some notes 📝

Five hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• When he takes the green flag on Sunday, Kevin Harvick will surpass Jeff Gordon on the all-time starts list with 806 for ninth overall.
• The 2023 season has seen a pass for the win in the final two laps six times in the first 15 races. That’s the most in any season since at least 2010.
• Five former Cup winners (A.J. Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Justin Haley, Brad Keselowski and Michael McDowell) have yet to win in the Next Gen’s first 50 points races. They have two road-course wins combined, each belonging to Allmendinger.
• After 15 races in 2022, Hendrick Motorsports had five wins and Joe Gibbs Racing had three. Each team also has the same amount through 15 races this season.
• Multi-time Sonoma winner Martin Truex Jr. has four top-five finishes this season — all of which came in the last seven races.

🔮 Advance to Victory Lane: Racing Insights projects Sunday’s finishing order

Posted on by Brandon White

The Houston family has long been synonymous with success at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Ken Houston kickstarted the dynasty with a track championship in 1964 before his brother Tommy tallied two titles and eight NASCAR Xfinity Series victories of his own. Tommy’s two sons in Andy and Marty carried on their family’s efficiency at Hickory with championships in 1994 and 1997, respectively.

Andy’s son Clark Houston is the latest member of the family to excel in a Late Model Stock after earning his first victory in the division on May 21, which carried extra significance for the younger Houston since he got to celebrate in Victory Lane with his dad.

“We’ve had a really rough start to the season just getting caught up in wrecks,” Clark said. “To finally get it done meant a lot. My dad doesn’t get to come to most of them since he travels with the [NASCAR Cup Series] schedule on weekends. With the [Cup] race being at [North] Wilkesboro, he was able to be there, so it was such a special moment.”

RELATED: Everything to know about Saturday’s Jack Ingram Memorial

Clark Houston
Clark Houston is finding momentum in his first full-time Late Model Stock season at Hickory Motor Speedway. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Although he was not alive to see most of his family race at Hickory in their prime, Clark has plenty of fond memories watching races in the track’s grandstands alongside Andy while getting acclimated to the people who maintained the vibrant culture at the facility.

Clark’s first opportunity to work in the pits came at the age of 12 with Doug Hauser and his son Dillon. The time spent with the Housers helped Clark gain a broad understanding of the commitment and sacrifice necessary to stay competitive against many other efficient organizations in the southeast.

As Clark continued to learn from the Housers, he became determined to follow in his family’s footsteps as a racer and got connected with Ashley Huffman, another staple in Hickory’s community. The duo ended up forming a successful partnership that saw Clark win a title in the Southeast Super Trucks Series in 2021.

Clark and Huffman now find themselves in the middle of their first full-time season in Hickory’s esteemed Late Model Stock division. Although he expected a learning curve in Late Model Stocks, Clark said racing at Hickory in trucks helped prepare him for every challenge the track throws at him.

“[Hickory] is a very unique track,” Clark said. “The corners are very different, so the main thing is to get through [Turns] 1 and 2 good so that you can set up your passes and get underneath somebody going into [Turn] 3. Things can get crazy there, so keeping the fenders on the car has also been emphasized to me.

“You don’t want to make dumb decisions early that will cost you late in the race.”

For Clark, having a full field of cars nearly every week at Hickory has been beneficial toward his development. The initial struggles he and Huffman faced in 2023 helped Clark compartmentalize his situation and understand every win would have to be earned.

Andy Houston is proud of the perseverance Clark has shown in his first full year of competition at Hickory. Having experienced many of the same pitfalls his son is going through now, Andy is encouraging Clark to stay true to himself and learn with every race.

“The biggest thing I’ve told Clark is to not give up,” Andy said. “When I started Late Model racing, it took until my third season before I won a race, and then once I won a race, it was like the floodgates opened. We won a lot of races and a championship, but this is Clark’s first season racing in the top division. He needs to be patient and to keep trying. Things will work out.”

Andy believes his son is more prepared than ever to tackle Hickory’s crown jewel events, with the first one being the Jack Ingram Memorial taking place Saturday evening.

STREAMING: Watch the Jack Ingram Memorial LIVE on FloRacing

Clark was one of 26 drivers who took part in the inaugural Jack Ingram Memorial last season. He found himself deep in the field at the start with an 18th-place qualifying run and did not have a chance to work his way forward after being swept up in an accident on Lap 4.

Now with more laps at Hickory under his belt, Clark has plenty of optimism heading into this year’s Jack Ingram Memorial. His strategy for the 111-lap feature will depend on his qualifying effort, but he hopes to earn a better starting position so he can avoid potential early chaos.

“We obviously need to qualify well, because track position is going to be big,” Clark said. “If we’re not able to qualify how we like, our main thing is going to be keeping the fenders on it and the tires under me.

“This is the first long feature we’ve ran this year, so if you’re not the fastest car, save your stuff so you have something in the closing laps.”

Through watching Clark’s career so far, Andy said his son has excelled in longer races that require drivers to conserve tires and equipment. That’s why he thinks Clark will be in contention at the end of this year’s Jack Ingram Memorial.

Clark Houston
Clark Houston added to his family legacy at Hickory with his first Late Model Stock win on May 21. (Photo: Gardner Street Photography)

Although Andy believes Clark has more talent compared himself at this point in their respective careers, he has no idea what his son’s future entails beyond Hickory. Despite this, Andy is thankful for the support Clark does have, and he plans to cherish every opportunity to watch his son race around a facility that has meant so much to the Houston family.

Watching Clark drive his No. 6 car into Victory Lane at Hickory was a highlight for Andy as both a racer and a parent. Which also reinforced the idea that the Houston name remains prestigious at Hickory nearly 60 years after Ken won his title.

“With my family’s history of winning races and championships at Hickory, that was as big a moment as any of the races I’ve won,” Andy said. “You want more for your kids than what you have. I was thankful to be there since I don’t get to attend many of his races, so for [Clark] to put that thing in Victory Lane was such a special moment.”

Clark is confident he can keep the momentum going Saturday in the Jack Ingram Memorial. He has long been familiar with the stories of Tommy racing against Ingram and would love to win a race named after one of the greatest drivers in the history of Hickory and NASCAR.

Even if Clark comes up short of a checkered flag Saturday, he takes great pride in being able to race at Hickory and carry on a proud family legacy that spans nearly six decades.

“Between my great uncles, my grandpa, my uncle and my dad, this is just what we do,” Clark said. “We race at Hickory, and winning there just means so much.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

LE MANS, France — At the end of opening remarks in the Garage 56 team press availability, IMSA President John Doonan dropped a well-received surprise announcement. A production-version 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 edition will be presented for sale later this year – a nod to this week’s celebrated entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and there will be only 56 of the iconic Camaros available in the United States.

The Garage 56 effort is a tribute to NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season whose entry at Le Mans this week is a collaboration among NASCAR, NASCAR’s winningest team (Hendrick Motorsports); the winningest manufacturer (Chevrolet) and winningest tire (Goodyear). Production is expected to begin later this year at the Lansing, Mich. Grand River Assembly plant.

GARAGE 56: Latest news, updates from Le Mans | Prime Video greenlights documentary

Among the special details, the Camaro will have a Garage 56 “badge” on the front fenders, Garage 56 emblems on the floor mats and steering wheel badge. A NASCAR windshield header decal, white Goodyear front wheel arch decals and door decals of the No. 24.

“Even though Chevrolet has been racing since its inception in 1911, we’ve never done anything quite like Garage 56,’’ said General Motors President Mark Reuss, who is expected to be at Le Mans this week.

Posted on by Zack Albert

LE MANS, France – Jordan Taylor had been in France for barely more than 24 hours and he was already doing coach things. The Garage 56 project’s alternate driver joined Tuesday’s autograph session and then, promptly, playfully took it over.

Donning his “COACH” T-shirt and equipped with a proper coach’s whistle, Taylor kept the autograph line moving and directed his teammates in the 24 Hours of Le Mans preliminary. He’d arrived at the track freshly from his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway last Saturday, flying from Oregon to Salt Lake City then on to land in Paris on Monday morning.

Taylor’s vast Le Mans experience has been a crucial factor in why he was recruited to join the Garage 56 initiative, the NASCAR Next Gen-based project that’s inching closer to its run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this Saturday and Sunday. But the 32-year-old IMSA ace has already made strides in diversifying his own portfolio, dipping his toe in the stock-car waters with recent starts in the Cup Series, Xfinity and even Late Models.

“I’ve been enjoying it,” Taylor says, “and I think now that I’m learning each car and different series, it’ll just keep getting better and more understanding what the cars can do.”

RELATED: A lap around Le Mans with Jordan Taylor | At-track photos: Le Mans

Those experiences have also opened the eyes of the NASCAR community, who have recognized Taylor’s skill, along with his embrace of the stock-car world through the eyes of his alter-ego of Rodney Sandstorm. Taylor made his Cup Series debut in place of the injured Chase Elliott in March at Circuit of The Americas, qualifying the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevy an impressive fourth before a series of bruising late-race restarts left him 24th in the final order.

It was enough of a performance to compel the Hendrick executive branch to keep his number handy.

“We absolutely, 100 percent would give Jordan another opportunity if something arose within our camp,” said Jeff Andrews, Hendrick Motorsports team president and general manager. “Trying to help him currently with a couple other possible scenarios for him within the NASCAR arena to get him some more experience, but I think he showed what he’s capable of in a very difficult situation getting in that 9 car at COTA in just a handful of laps and going out there and qualifying as well as he did.

“Certainly the racing is a lot different than what he’s used to, and that was a heck of a baptism, so to speak, with what he went through there, but he handled it like a pro and (has) got a ton of talent. So without question we would, if we have that need, we would look to Jordan very quickly. He fit in very well with our group and contributed a very high level.”

The other opportunities Andrews mentioned have already come to pass. Taylor said a conversation at COTA between Hendrick vice chairman Jeff Gordon and Kaulig Racing president Chris Rice put his appearance at Portland in motion. Taylor said he had never driven an Xfinity Series car, but he had the pace to qualify Kaulig’s No. 10 Chevrolet sixth on the grid with limited practice.

Taylor remained just outside of the top five through the first two stages at Portland. His car sustained some nose damage in the final segment of the race, then limped home to a 27th-place outcome after the gearbox gave out.

“It was unfortunate, obviously, to not get a result, but it was nice to run well,” Taylor said. “And, hopefully, people noticed.”

Among those taking note of his stock-car exploits was team owner Rick Hendrick, who seconded Andrews’ sentiments.

“He’s got so much talent, he can do it,” Hendrick said. “He is an unbelievable road racer, unbelievable communicator and just a perfectionist, so he’s put his heart and soul in this car. I hate we couldn’t run four drivers (at Le Mans). I’d love to see him have an opportunity. We might have him in a car again, in NASCAR.”

MORE: Full Garage 56 coverage | Race-week schedule

Now that he’s here, Taylor says he’s not sure what to expect in an unfamiliar role as a reserve driver, but that hasn’t kept him from coming to Le Mans prepared. He said he wrote a report for teammates Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller containing notes on the race-specific procedures, plus reference points on the optimal way to let faster cars overtake. He also has notes on the car’s characteristics, given his seat time in the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 during testing.

Just like any other coach, Taylor has his playbook ready – and it’s providing the rest of the team with some peace of mind.

“He has the most current and in-depth GT experience, and that’s basically what this car is or the closest thing it is to,” Johnson said. “So he’s done a phenomenal job in the car, and I wish we could run four (drivers), because he is so deserving of the formal label.”

Before his arrival, Taylor followed the early progress of the Garage 56 effort with its show of speed during Sunday’s test day, where the No. 24 posted laps that eventually slotted the “Innovative Car” entry between the LMGTE Am class and the faster LMP2 cars.

Since the Garage 56 car is not racing for the overall win, the program is free of the politics and gamesmanship surrounding the balance of power regulations that other classes face. But the showing on the speed chart has put an early end to the concerns that the modified Next Gen Camaro would be a roadblock to other cars in the field.

That’s bulletin-board material for any coach worth his salt.

“I think there’s no games to play for us – just go as fast as possible,” Taylor says. “But yes, it’s very good. I think it shocked a lot of people, which is exciting, I think. I’m glad it’s surprising people because I think a lot of people didn’t respect it as much as they should’ve, and now they’re seeing that it’s a proper race car, a proper program that everyone took very seriously coming into this.”

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR Cup Series rookie Noah Gragson will not compete in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway, Legacy Motor Club announced Thursday.

Gragson, the driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet, began experiencing concussion-like symptoms earlier this week, according to the team. Gragson was involved in a crash on Lap 197 of last weekend’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway. He was evaluated and released from the infield care center.

“Noah’s health is the highest of priorities and we commend him for making the decision to sit out this weekend,” said team co-owners Maury Gallagher and Jimmie Johnson. “We are appreciative that Grant was available and willing to step in since the Truck Series is off this weekend.”

MORE: Extended highlights from St. Louis | Sonoma schedule

In 15 starts this season, Gragson earned a best finish of 12th at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He piloted the No. 42 Chevrolet to a 20th-place result at Circuit of The Americas in March, the Cup Series’ only other visit to a road course this season. The Las Vegas native is 32nd in points.

Enfinger is the 2015 ARCA Menards Series champion and this will be the 38-year-old’s first career start in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is a nine-time winner in the NASCAR Truck Series and has won twice already this season, most recently winning last weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.

“My thoughts are with Noah, I know how much he loves this team and the guys on it,” said Enfinger. “I’m happy to help out Legacy Motor Club and the No. 42 team.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

NASCAR Xfinity Series regulars will have their hands full in Saturday’s DoorDash 250 at Sonoma Raceway (8 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The influx of seven full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers eager to gain seat time at the 1.99-mile road course has swollen the entry list for the first-ever Xfinity race at Sonoma to 41, with only 38 spots available on the starting grid.

Foremost among the interlopers are the last two Cup Series winners at the track—Daniel Suárez (2022) and Kyle Larson (2021). Other double-duty Cup regulars are Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Ty Dillon, AJ Allmendinger and Aric Almirola.

ENTRY LIST: See full roster of drivers qualifying

Though Allmendinger claimed both of his Cup Series victories and 11 of his 16 Xfinity wins on road courses, his finishes at Sonoma haven’t matched his acknowledged talent on tracks with both right-and-left turns.

In 11 Cup starts at Sonoma, Allmendinger has just two top 10s and an average finish of 23.5, but the Los Gatos, California, driver hopes he can improve those numbers dramatically this weekend.

“Sonoma is always a special, important weekend for me,” Allmendinger said. “It’s near where I grew up, and I still get to see a lot of friends and family there. Quite honestly, it’s a race track that I don’t have a very good average finish. I’ve felt like I’ve always been fast there, but it hasn’t worked out.

“Being able to run both races, I’m really looking forward to it. Sonoma is a race track I’ve always wanted to win at, knowing it’s my home racetrack and I would be able to do that in front of a lot of friends and family. Hopefully, we can go back there and have some success to keep building on our program.”

Sonoma Raceway is one of eight road courses on the Xfinity Series schedule this year and the second straight. Cole Custer won last Saturday’s event at Portland International Raceway, outdueling Justin Allgaier in a close finish.

RELATED: Buy tickets for Saturday | Cup Series races on Sunday

For either Custer or Allgaier to win this Saturday, however, they’ll have to beat some of the best drivers in NASCAR’s top division.

Posted on by Adam Fenwick

Winning a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race isn’t easy. In fact, since the modern NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour was created in 1985, only 77 drivers have visited Victory Lane.

That’s what makes the start of the 2023 season particularly interesting. Through the first five races, five different drivers have secured victories ahead of the sixth race of the season this Saturday night at Seekonk Speedway.

It’s only the sixth time in the modern history of the series that the first five races have been won by five different drivers. The first such occurrence took place in 1990, when Reggie Ruggiero, Tony Hirschman, Rick Fuller, Mike Stefanik and Jeff Fuller triumphed in consecutive races to open the season.

RELATED: What to know about Saturday’s Seekonk 150

It didn’t happen again until nine years later in 1999, when Mike Ewanitsko, Ed Flemke Jr., Rick Fuller, Ted Christopher, Tim Connolly, John Blewett III and Tony Hirschman opened the season with wins. In the process, they set the record for the most different drivers to win consecutive races to open a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season at seven.

Two years later in 2001, Jerry Marquis, Rick Fuller, Blewett, Ruggiero and Ewanitsko opened the season with wins. It happened once more in 2004, with Christopher, Marquis, Flemke, Todd Szegedy and Tony Hirschman securing victories to open the season.

It took 17 years for this to happen again, but in 2021, Eric Goodale, Patrick Emerling, Doug Coby, Justin Bonsignore and Matt Hirschman collected victories in consecutive races to open the season.

That brings us to 2023, when for the sixth time in series history five different drivers have won the first five races of the season.

It started with Ron Silk, who captured his first victory since the 2021 season with a win at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway in February. The win marked his 18th series victory and his first with Haydt Yannone Racing.

Next was Austin Beers, who joined his father Eric as a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour winner with a dominant performance at Richmond Raceway in late March. He was followed by Coby, who collected his first victory of the year and the 35th of his career at Monadnock Speedway.

Bonsignore was next to visit Victory Lane following a back-and-forth battle with Silk at Riverhead Raceway on May 21. Matt Hirschman then powered to victory in the fifth race of the season at Lee USA Speedway two weeks ago to make it five different winners in as many races to open the 2023 season.

Drivers line up before the Granite State Derby for the Whelen Modified Tour at Lee USA Speedway on May 27, 2023 in Lee, New Hampshire. (Photo: Jaiden Tripi/NASCAR)

To make things even more interesting, through the first five races of the season, four different drivers have earned runner-up finishes. They include Bonsignore (New Smyrna), J.B. Fortin (Richmond), Jon McKennedy (Monadnock), Silk (Riverhead) and McKennedy (Lee USA).

All of this begs the question: Will the streak of different winners to open the 2023 season continue Saturday night at Seekonk?

It’s certainly possible, as three drivers who visited Victory Lane with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2022 and have yet to win this year are entered in Saturday’s race.

They include McKennedy, the defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, as well as New Hampshire Motor Speedway winner Anthony Nocella and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park victor Craig Lutz.

One also can’t count out drivers like Fortin, Jake Johnson, Tyler Rypkema and Anthony Sesely, all of whom would love to add their names to the list of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race winners.

Anything is possible when the green flag waves Saturday night for the Seekonk 150. If you can’t be there in person, you can watch the race live exclusively on FloRacing.