As we edge ever closer to the highly anticipated 24-hour French endurance race, the anticipation is palpable. NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) have been working tirelessly over the past months to morph a regular Cup Series car into one that can perform on the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe. This has culminated in the unveiling of a project – Garage 56. This controversial endeavor between NASCAR and HMS aim is to prepare a Next Gen Cup car to compete in the Le Mans race this coming weekend.
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The Le Mans race has been a staple in motorsports since its early days. Moreover, it is part of the esteemed triple crown of motorsports, alongside the Indy 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. The race at Le Mans spans a grueling 24 hours, and this year holds additional significance as it marks the centennial of this prestigious event. This milestone undoubtedly adds an extra layer of prestige to an already momentous occasion.
With the completion of the test runs and the Garage 56 car having made a few rounds of the extensive 8.4-mile track, a legendary former HMS crew chief recently drew a parallel between Le Mans and the Daytona 500, indicating a unique commonality between these two legendary races.
HMS legend draws similarities between Daytona 500 and an iconic endurance race
Crew Chief Greg Ives has been a part of Hendrick Motorsports for a long time now. However, after spending such a long time in the garage of one the most reputed teams in NASCAR, Ives had decided to slowly move away from his role and take a step back. Although, that had been the original plan, being a crew chief at the Le Mans is something he would not have forgone by any chance.
Ahead of the commencement of the prestigious race this weekend, Ives spoke to the media and drew parallels between Le Mans and Daytona 500. He stated, “The spectacle of Le Mans is unlike any other. I feel like if I want to compare it to something, it’d probably be considered the Daytona 500. Where you’re here for two weeks, setting up and getting prepped and going through tech. You have all your new clothing and your new branding everywhere. Trailers look good, and you bring some extra here and there. But like I said, all in all, this is going to be a race like no other than I’ve been a part of.”
The Daytona 500 is the most prestigious race for NASCAR. Meanwhile, Le Mans is a standalone crown jewel in the world of motorsports. However, while there might be similarities the biggest difference would be that this race takes place over a duration of 24 hours non-stop, testing the limit between man and machine.
Why has Garage 56 drawn the ire of everyone in NASCAR?
The decision to run a modified Cup Series car in the esteemed endurance race, while iconic in nature, has sparked significant controversy. The uproar was triggered when NASCAR revealed its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports for this venture. Teams and members of the wider NASCAR community began questioning why only one team was involved in the project. They wondered if the organization was showcasing preferential treatment to HMS, differentiating them from the rest of the grid.
If the intention was to represent all of NASCAR, why wasn’t the development of the Garage 56 car a collective effort involving all teams? If that wasn’t feasible, there were likely other ways to avoid creating an impression of favoritism towards one major team. However, despite vocal objections from several key individuals, NASCAR proceeded with the project as planned.
Therefore, while the prospect of this car racing around at Le Mans is undeniably intriguing, it is shrouded in controversy related to perceived bias. It’s clear that not everyone will be sharing the excitement that Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR are likely feeling at the moment.
