The NASCAR 24 Hours of Le Mans makes its 12 Hours of Daytona

The last teams entered in the 24 Hours of Daytona have barely left the infield of the Californian complex when a strange machine with sauce NASCAR wakes him up to the angry sound of his V8. After a drunken session on the Sebring circuit, the Team Hendrick Garage 56 headed to Daytona for a first endurance test. After the bumps of Sebring, follows the Florida night to accumulate the maximum experience in preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The work before the 24 ⏱ pic.twitter.com/yvgaE7jYhG

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) February 1, 2023

The big news from these tests is the appearance of headlights on the Chevrolet Camaro Next Gen. An obvious fact in Endurance, but the models competing in the NASCAR Cup Series are of course without it because the few night races are contested on generously lit ovals. These two days will give Jenson Button the opportunity to discover the beautiful American with whom he has just signed up for the best. Jenson Button: “The first step in a return to competition”

Spotlight on the 56 Camaro Garage © Hendrick

The World Champion of Formula 1 2009 will be able to acclimatize with some specificities of the Chevrolet such as the absence of doors! When you know the value of a few seconds saved in the pits during a refueling, it is certain that training with his teammates Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller is on the program.

Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller and Jenson Button © James Gilbert/Getty

The stated objective of these two days of testing at Daytona is a 12 Hour race simulation. If this is carried out successfully, a big step towards Sarthe will have been taken, but the road leading the team to Le Mans remains long. The choice of a test on the Daytona circuit barely a week after the 24 Hours is not insignificant. It is certain that everyone involved in the project will have in mind the best lap achieved by a GTD during the race week. This is 1:46,067 to be credited to theAston Martin Vantage GT3. The performances of the GTDs being relatively close to those of the GTEs which will compete in the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it will be easy to know the level of performance of the Chevrolet. 

Jordan Taylor will take on the role of coach/substitute for the Le Mans team and was present during this session.

Racing into the night ✨ pic.twitter.com/5FSytoO79L

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) February 2, 2023

ALSO READ > Jenson Button driving the NASCAR 24 Hours of Le Mans 2023