NASCAR to have eyes all around the world on Garage 56 entry at Le Mans

There's only one car available in the famed endurance race, so it's vital drivers stay out of trouble and try not to do too much. The goal is log as many hours as possible

NASCAR’s Garage 56 project has captured the eyes and ears of fans in France, in the paddock and viewers across the world.

When it was announced last year, many NASCAR fans were excited to have their very own car class show what it is capable of in an endurance race in such a spectacle as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

AutoRacingDigest.com’s Christopher Everidge and Dylan Spaulding will take a look at what this car brings to the track, compared to the base stock car that runs every weekend in the States. We will also take a look at what this car brings to the future of NASCAR.

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What Can Be Taken From Garage 56 to Adapt the Cup Car

[Section By Christopher Everidge]

The Garage 56 car is not an exact replica of the NASCAR Cup car seen on Sunday’s, but more of a sports car adapted stock car. The Le Mans car comes in almost 500 pounds lighter, allowing for more precise turning and shorter braking distances. The car comes with a larger gas tank to ensure they stay competitive with the GTE class.

The car also comes with new rack and pinion steering which is new to the Cup cars. This may help the three drivers, Jimmie Johnson, Jenson Button, and Mike Rockenfeller because two of those three have recently driven the new Cup car.

The Le Mans car has several other adaptations including rain tires, a slightly larger spoiler, a more aerodynamic design and the capability of different tire compounds.

So, with that being said, which of those adaptations could come to the Cup car? Garage 56 will be a great opportunity to test these parts, albeit if the car can last.

The most interesting piece to me is the weight difference and the larger fuel cell. How would a lighter car affect the different track layouts in NASCAR? Would the road course racing become a better show? How would pit strategy change with a larger fuel window?

NASCAR has already tested the spoiler and decided to go with the 4-inch spoiler so a change there is unlikely. Many drivers will keep an eye on the race Saturday to watch a car that could be the future Cup car.

NASCAR may look into making the Cup car lighter if it proves to provide better road course racing. All eyes will be on the Garage 56 car as it could prove to be the test dummy for the next iteration of NASCAR Cup cars.

Fans gather around the NASCAR Next Gen Garage 56 Chevrolet ZL1 ahead of the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 3, 2023 in Le Mans, France. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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The Expectations of Garage 56 at Le Mans

[Section by Christopher Everidge]

There has been a fair share of skeptics when it comes to the Garage 56 car. One of the biggest worries is about the longevity of the car. With only one car, a crucial mistake in the first hour could end everything.

The main goal should be to last 24 hours and gather data. As mentioned, this car is more of a test dummy. They are in their own class and aren’t racing against anyone or any other class in particular.

They have been competitive in testing with the GTE cars, but with the way the scoring works, they are not racing anyone but themselves. With that being said, the main goal should be data collection, and finishing the race, which leads me to the next piece.

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The Future of NASCAR in France

[Section by Christopher Everidge]

Garage 56 should look to expand in 2024. In my opinion, I think Garage 56 should look into the Cup side more and bring three cars to France next year.

They should bring a Chevy, Ford, and Toyota. All three cars would compete and then those three cars would race each other within the same class. This would also provide more security since more NASCAR cars would be on-track.

They could look into having a Hendrick Chevrolet, a Penske Ford and a Toyota version. NASCAR could also halt the schedule that week and have the best drivers possible to represent those said cars.

In the end, this is a big opportunity for NASCAR. A large European race with a ton of eyes on it provides the perfect platform for fans to explore NASCAR. In my opinion, having three of those types of cars, as well as the involvement of the three different manufacturers, provides an even better spectacle.

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New Opportunities For Drivers in NASCAR?

[Section by Dylan Spaulding]

Ever since the introduction of the Next-Gen car, NASCAR has been able to globalize itself for the outside market. The Next Gen, with some features like sports cars, has drawn more interest from drivers from other series.

In the past two years alone, an influx of non-NASCAR drivers such as Jenson Button, Kimi Räikkönen, Conor Daly, and most recently, Jordan Taylor, have maned the wheel of these new machines, all of which have found success, with Taylor even qualifying in the top 10 at COTA earlier this year.

For drivers to have success in their first time behind the wheel of the latest iteration of the Cup car is a positive footnote not only for the diverse and innovative car that is the Next Gen, but also for NASCAR.

Having world-renowned drivers in the sport puts NASCAR in a different echelon than it was in the past, similar to what Le Mans is doing this weekend for NASCAR.

Although the actual long-term impact the Garage 56 entry will have may not be automatic, expect to see more outside NASCAR talents get behind the wheel of these stock cars going forward.

Even Mike Rockenfeller, who sits as the only person on the Garage 56 lineup without NASCAR experience, could see some time in a Cup seat after this race, whether it be for Project 91, Team Hendrick, or another organization.

Nonetheless, the influx of drivers coming into the sport will grow through this, and the future of competition in NASCAR looks very bright.

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A Future Endurance Race to Replace the Clash?

[Section by Dylan Spaulding]

NASCAR and endurance?

Who would have thought that could be something prevalent here in 2023? But with the Garage 56 entry and the potential of what the product could bring, that is something that could happen more than ever.

Depending on how Garage 56 performs this weekend, the future that could come out of what happens in the Le Mans race for NASCAR is more positive than negative. Could we potentially see night road course races, or even a NASCAR endurance race?

The possibilities are truly endless. With the addition of working headlights to the Garage 56 car, the potential to have races at night on road courses such as Sonoma, Watkins Glen, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, or even the Daytona road course is now available via Garage 56.

Even an endurance race in NASCAR isn't out of the question. NASCAR is seemingly open to anything, as can be seen by this July’s street race in downtown Chicago, the first time that has e ever been attempted in the sport’s 75-year history.

Now, while the idea of a multi-hour endurance race may have to be predicated on how the Garage 56 entry handles the long, grueling weekend, its outcome could indeed lead to the potential for bigger things such as night road course races or the aforementioned NASCAR endurance race.

While an endurance race for NASCAR most likely wouldn’t be run as a points race, it could be a Clash or All-Star style event that could not only help boost numbers and put a new spin on stock car racing.

It could also be a beneficial opportunity to give young, up-and-coming drivers in each Cup team’s development system a chance to wheel one of these Next Gen cars, being that there would have to be at east a minimum of two drivers for an endurance-style race.

Logistically, there may be some work needed, but the racing future that could come out of this Garage 56 entry has all the makings of what could be a bright future for NASCAR.