Garage 56 NASCAR takes to the track with Rockenfeller

Mike Rockenfeller took to the track behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. These first turns of the wheel of the ambitious project were announced at the beginning of August by John Doonan, President of theIMSA and Chad Knaus, Project Managerur the Hendrick Motorsport. He ... not At this stage it is still only a Next Gen in all respects similar to the cars participating in the championship Nascar Cup Series

A new kind of @NASCAR

🔊 Sound WAY up 🔊 pic.twitter.com/5yeoZTWrox

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) August 29

Concerning the car development program, Chad Knaus confirmed the desire for a studious and progressive approach. “We're first trying to make sure that the basic changes to Next Gen work the way they're supposed to,” Knaus said. “If there are any performance or reliability elements to change, we will implement them on the first real car, probably around November”

This first run was entrusted to the Action Express Racing structure which defends the interests of Cadillac, another brand of the General Motors group, in IMSA. A logical choice given the team's track record which includes 3 victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 3 victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

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The first #NextGen56 test is underway! This test car, run by @AX_Racing and driven by test driver @mikerockenfell3, will serve as the starting point for the development of our Garage 56 entry that will compete at Le Mans. pic.twitter.com/HfWi2vZwQd

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) August 29

The first development driver is none other than Mike Rockenfeller, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona 2010 and Champion DTM 2013. “Rocky” had the opportunity to discover his new toy on August 21 during the NASCAR Cup Series round at Watkins Glen which he hosted alongside Kimi Räikkönen. He will get back behind the wheel of the Spire Motorsports Camaro at the Charlotte Roval on October 9.

Mike Rockenfeller is paving his way in Nascar. ©Photo Frederic Le Floch / DPPI

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Un important travail en simulateur est mené depuis le début du mois par Alex Bowman, pilote régulier en Cup Series, Mike Rockenfeller, et le Vice-Président de la Hendrick Mototrsports Jeff Gordon, quadruple Champion de la NASCAR. Preuve de son implication totale dans ce projet, Gordon reprendra la piste ce week-end à l’occasion de deux manches de Porsche Carrera Cup Amérique du Nord à Indianapolis.