24 Hours of Le Mans 2023 – The NASCAR Garage 56 in testing at Sebring

A lot of things can happen in the 24 Hours, especially at Le Mans when you decide to go around in circles at an insane pace on the big circuit. In order to prepare for its participation in the centenary edition as part of the Garage 56 program, the Team Hendrick Motorsports traveled to Sebring this past week to conduct an intense testing program. The spicy icing on the Florida cake was that the team had to deal with dire weather conditions, a good preparation for the classic Le Mans race which was often well watered.

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Test drivers @mikerockenfell3 and @JimmieJohnson are pushing the #NextGenG56 hard on our last day here at @sebringraceway. pic.twitter.com/iwfZPPI46m

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) December 20, 2022

For this third test session, the designated test driver, Mike Rockenfeller, was joined by the seven-time Champion NASCAR Cup Series, Jimmie Johnson, who had already had the opportunity to shakedown the car at Carolina Motorsports Park. Johnson's commitment in June is therefore becoming more and more likely.

Chad Knaus, vice president of the competition department of Hendrick Motorsports and manager of the Garage 56 Le Mans project, justified the choice of Sebring: “This track is really very difficult. When you try to understand the complexity of engaging a car in 24 Hours of Le Mans, it's a perfect track to put the car to the test. The bumpy surface can in particular provide lessons on points such as the reaction of the car on the numerous kerbs of the Le Mans circuit. »

During the first day of testing, the two drivers were able to test for the first time the carbon brakes that they will use at Le Mans, a real step forward according to them. Different compositions of Goodyear tires were also tested in order to define a good balance between performance and endurance. A locking differential, quite useless on ovals but valuable on roads, was also tested in order to improve the car's traction when exiting corners.

From North Carolina to Florida, water, always water… © Hendrick Motorsports

A 6-hour endurance test was planned for the second day when torrential rain hit Sebring. Rockenfeller tried a few laps on intermediate tires, but in the absence of rain tires the simulation had to be interrupted. These few laps on a wet track, however, allowed the team to gather valuable information for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

A few electronic Gremlins have come to disrupt the progress of the beautiful American, but for every problem there are solutions. When the starter refused to start, the team decided to continue the tests by starting the car with a stroller! That’s what these endurance tests are for after all.

(I.e. @sebringraceway

The #NextGenG56 is learning how to #RespectTheBumps one lap at a time 💪 pic.twitter.com/S0GKQgtFJN

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) December 19, 2022

Now heading to Daytona for the next test session where a 12 Hour race simulation is on the program. From there to say that half of the way to the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be covered if this test is passed…

ALSO READ > Jimmie Johnson: “I want to go to Le Mans” with Garage 56 in 2023