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How Weight Loss Is Key For NASCAR Garage 56 Entry At Le Mans
Making it 24 hours would mean about 3,000 miles for NASCAR entry.
BY JONATHAN INGRAMPUBLISHED: JUN 7, 2023
le mans 24 hour race practice qualifyingpinterest icon
CHRIS GRAYTHEN//GETTY IMAGES
Jenson Button, co-drivers Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller will have
to keep the Garage 56 entry on the 8.5-mile track and out of the harm’s
way if it is to meet the goal of running for 24 hours.
Raced at 3,200 pounds in NASCAR sans driver, the NASCAR Chevy Camaro ZL1
has officially lost 240 pounds.
To lose weight, the Camaro has lighter wheels, far more carbon fiber
panels and bodywork made from the same molds used for NASCAR Cup cars
that is significantly lighter.
Will “The Beast,” as Jenson Button refers to the Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1, make it to the finish of the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
The usual factors will come into play. Button, co-drivers Jimmie Johnson
and Mike Rockenfeller will have to keep the Garage 56 entry on the
8.5-mile track and out of the harm’s way, which comes in the form of the faster prototypes and the GT cars, which turn lap times close to those
of the Camaro.
But consider the gravel traps in case of error. They can be treacherous
and bring a swift end to the race of any car getting stuck in them. Yet,
before the first competitive race lap, the gravel traps have been
helpful to the Camaro ZL1 of Hendrick. For the tractors used at Le Mans
to lift cars from the traps, there is a maximum weight and cars must
pass a “lift test” in scrutineering.
The Automobile Club de l’Ouest arrived at 2,960 pounds for the Camaro to
pass its lift test, which is done without the driver. Raced at 3,200
pounds in NASCAR sans driver, the Camaro has officially lost 240 pounds.
To lose weight, the Camaro has lighter wheels, far more carbon fiber
panels and bodywork made from the same molds used for NASCAR Cup cars
that is significantly lighter.
le mans 24 hour race practice qualifying
Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller and Jenson Button took the NASCAR
Garage 56 entry through practice runs on Wednesday.
CHRIS GRAYTHEN//GETTY IMAGES
Lighter is better for driving, braking, long straights and hopping the ubiquitous curbs thousands of times in a 24-hour race. A lighter weight
also means the engine builders at Chevy, Hendrick Motorsports and ECR,
the engine building operation of Richard Childress Racing, could keep an
eye on the endurance of the car’s V8.
Given that the Camaro has a sequential gearbox and a paddle shift, the
iron block V8 is the biggest concern about finishing if the car stays on
the track.
“They had a think about how to make a motor designed to last 600 miles
on Memorial Day weekend and make it last for 24 hours, or hopefully
3,000 miles” said John Doonan, president of IMSA and appointed the
manager of the Garage 56 program by NASCAR chairman Jim France. “A lot
of things learned by Chevrolet in sports car racing have been applied to
the motor, the valve train primarily.”
During the first Grand-Am prototype era followed by the DPi cars, GM’s
Chevy and Cadillac brands participated annually in the Rolex 24 at
Daytona in addition to the Corvettes racing in the GT classes in IMSA
and annually at Le Mans.
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A Cup engine generally falls in the 800-horsepower range for 500-mile
races. While no one is mentioning specific figures for the Garage 56
car, the lighter weight likely means getting by with less horsepower
than Hendrick and ECR are capable of building. Among its various test
days, the Camaro completed a 24-hour test at Sebring.
The goal was to be faster than the GTE Am entries, enabling the Camaro
drivers to steer clear of the class where one gentlemen driver is
required for each car. Doonan said that the lap times anticipated for
the Camaro by the team and the ACO have been reached.
In the second afternoon session on the Test Day on Sunday, the Camaro
drivers consistently turned in laps in the 3:53 range. That was 13
seconds slower than the slowest LMP2 car, but still ahead of the GTE
entries by three seconds. In the first qualifying session on Wednesday,
the Camaro dropped six seconds to record a lap of 3:47.976, which was
four seconds clear of the fastest GTE entry.
Despite all its carbon fiber, including a longer front splitter and rear diffuser compared to Cup cars, the NASCAR Camaro remains a “beast” as
the heaviest car in the field. Could that be an advantage?
Consider the overall victory in 1995 of the factory McLaren F1 GTR,
which beat the Courage prototype to the checkered flag and denied a Le
Mans victory to Mario Andretti and Bob Wollek. In persistent rain, the McLaren’s heavier weight gave it an advantage.
What is the forecast for Le Mans? There is an 80% chance of rain on
Saturday and 50% on Sunday. While the Camaro’s goal is to finish the
race, not contest positions, under rainy conditions its weight could be
an advantage for the drivers, who will be riding on Goodyear tires.
Goodyear shoes the LMP2 entries and this year came with tires specific
to the Camaro and the Le Mans track as well. The dry tires are wider in
the front (by 0.5 inches) and rear (by 1.5 inches) compared to the Cup
cars. But the intermediate and full wet tires will be mounted on the
standard 12-inch wheels used in NASCAR wet weather races.
Given all the variables of running to the finish at Le Mans, a lighter “Beast” that is still heavier than its competition could well be an advantage.
mrw5001
4 hours ago
If they can keep the car in one piece and not get crashed they should
most likely get a pretty decent finish.
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Lxusrkz
7 hours ago
I think the key rests on Jimmie Johnson driving better than he has in
the past four years.
His co-drivers are definitely better road racers.
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apexdc
8 hours ago
I am currently at the race. In general, at the French absolutely love
the car. They love the car size and the monstrous sound and the whole
concept.
By the way, this has been the same reaction when NASCAR came here in the
past. I am here with a Ferrari team, but I think the whole thing is
super cool...
See more
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bac7412
14 hours ago
Driving the “BEAST” will be the “BUST”.
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jam6709
14 hours ago
In 2025 they will be running the Camaro minivan in NASCAR and Le Mans .
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new5990
14 hours ago
Thought this was a lame idea but seeing the lap times Button and Rocky
are turnin' in, pretty impressive. Hope it finishes.
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luxracer
17 hours ago
Why enter a Chevy Camaro in Le Mans when the car is now cancelled in
2024, and going away for good? Scratching head....and is NASCAR hoping
to win over the race fans at Le Mans? Yea right.....
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1 reply
ninosalvatore
18 hours ago
So FIA preparing to lift crashed Chevy. Cool story dude.
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