‘Le Monster’ lent pride to NASCAR
LE MANS, France — So many viewed NASCAR’s trip to the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a bit of a joke, nothing more than an expensive “science project” marketing play to take a beast of a car to the most elite endurance race in the world.
The Next Gen stock car? Sharing the same historic track with Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and the like?
Rick Hendrick sensed the doubt — maybe even disdain — and understood that racing’s wine-and-cheese crowd had little use for American hillbillies running “NASCARs” at their centenary celebration. This isn’t hyperbole: the official broadcast borrowed Darrell Waltrip’s cringey “Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!” cry when the Next Gen was shown on the screen late in the race. How wrong the skeptics were. The Garage 56 project more than exceeded expectations. The car finished the race, its biggest goal, but earned respect across the racing world in how it was done.
“I think we covered both sides of the Atlantic,” NASCAR and IMSA chairman Jim France said. “It just helps broaden our fan base — the idea of being able to bring a NASCAR car over. Race fans have maybe seen NASCAR on TV but have never had the opportunity to hear one or feel one up close. And we were able to do that in a big event for 24 hours.”
France engineered the project and got the second-year Next Gen invited to Le Mans in a special “Innovative Car” class. It was nothing more than an exhibition — the class didn’t race any other cars.
But this was never a joke to France, who had hoped since his late father, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., took him to Le Mans in 1962 that he’d someday take a stock car to the Circuit de la Sarthe.
This type of project could only work with Rick Hendrick, the winningest team owner in NASCAR’s 75 years. Hendrick has a deep connection and loyalty to the France family and he runs a buttoned-up organization. If he committed to a project, then his people would be tasked with creating a first-class effort in which NASCAR didn’t wind up looking like fools in France.
The No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro was an animal compared to the other cars. The thunderous V8 engine startled fans and the five former football players who won the class pit crew competition — the only team to use a manual instead of air jack — were the talk of pit lane.
This beast of the ball was now being called “Le Monster,” a force to be taken seriously.
And when the car qualified more than three seconds faster than the entire 21-car GT class, expectations had another significant shift. Being embarrassed and finishing the 24-hour race were the early concerns (the longest race on the NASCAR schedule is 600 miles), but by the time the race started, NASCAR wanted to win the entire GT class.
If not for two mechanical failures in the final five hours, Garage 56 might just have had a chance. For a moment, there was palpable disappointment among the 200-plus in attendance representing all aspects of the NASCAR industry.
Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson got the project rolling when he retired from full-time driving at the end of the 2020 season and embarked on a list of bucket list races that included partnering Hendrick with France on a sports car team.
Here they were some two-plus years later, at Le Mans, shaking off the disappointment of the mechanical failures to celebrate an original goal. The champagne glasses were lined up with 30 minutes remaining. France, Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, the four-time NASCAR champion and HMS vice chairman, were among the crowd in the garage.
On the final lap, the entire contingent went to pit road fence to watch Johnson complete the race. When he took the flag, France waved his hat in the air, Hendrick clapped, Gordon stood and cheered. Everyone beamed with pride and unity in NASCAR — a feeling not so often felt these days amid financial negotiations for both a television package and a new business model between teams and the France family.
“My heart is full,” Johnson said. “Coming here with NASCAR, Hendrick, Chevrolet, Goodyear. Many of the people here working were on different teams that I won races and championships with. There were so many familiar faces, to have this 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. I’m really happy”
NASCAR left its mark on Le Mans, and it was as a winner.