NASCAR’s new Next Gen cars are some of the most capable they’ve ever raced. So capable, in fact that a modified one will be racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. To get a sense of just how capable the car is for that type of racing, it was tested after this past weekend’s 24 Hours of Daytona, and the results were impressive.
According to The Drive, who cited a NASCAR.com blog, the car’s times were roughly in line with “those at the top of the GTD class”. If that’s truly the case, that would mean it’s lapping the track somewhere in the 1 minute 46 second range. Not bad for a stock car.
Read More: NASCAR Makes Changes To Driver Underwear And Sock Requirements
So what exactly makes this NASCAR so fast? For one, it now sports a hybridized powertrain compared to the normal ICE-only setup, boosting power significantly. It also weighs less, features more aero, and has a revised chassis and suspension setup, all with the goal of making it a competent road course car that still keeps the NASCAR spirit. One other thing that most would also overlook is that it also needed functioning headlights, an element that’s not really necessary for the series’ usual fully-lit speedways, but is absolutely crucial for a race like Le Mans.
The modified Camaro ZL1 stock car will be fielded by Hendrick Motorsport, one of the largest names in NASCAR, and it’s set to have quite the impressive driver lineup. At the wheel will be the trio of 7-time NASCAR Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button, and 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, bringing all sorts of experience from all walks of motorsport into one team.
See Also: Malcolm In The Middle Star Frankie Muniz To Race Full NASCAR Season
It’s worth noting that this Le Mans NASCAR is a Garage 56 entry, which means it won’t actually compete in the traditional sense. It will race alongside the other cars at Le Mans, but it will be more of a proof of concept than anything else, as Garage 56 is essentially its own class meant for testing innovative new vehicle concepts. That being said, the car will still be scored, so we can still get an idea of how it stacks up to the other entrants. Overall, it’s an incredibly interesting project, and we can’t wait to see how it turns out come June when the car actually goes racing.