The ACO sets aside the 56th entry on the Le Mans grid for innovative machinery, and this crossover between America’s biggest form of motorsport and the pinnacle of sports car endurance racing has created a lot of buzz.
The Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a modified version of the car currently competing in the Cup Series, and is a collaboration of NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, IMSA, and Goodyear. It’s the first time a NASCAR stock car has raced at Le Mans since 1976.
The car is being driven by 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, and former Le Mans 24 Hours winner Mike Rockenfeller in this weekend’s 100th anniversary running of the world-famous endurance race.
“The Next Gen car has been a game changer in NASCAR, and bringing it to an iconic international stage like Le Mans during NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season is a monumental moment for our sport,” said Matt Summers, NASCAR managing director, entertainment marketing and content development. “We’ve had cameras rolling behind the scenes throughout the entire journey, and we can’t wait for fans around the world to come along for the ride thanks to this amazing partnership with Prime Video.”