LM24 NASCAR returns to Circuit de la Sarthe... - Page 3

chernaudi · 13 Jun 2022, 16:00 (Ref:4115402)

Gordon, Chad Knaus and Jim France.

**skycafe** · 13 Jun 2022, 18:04 (Ref:4115414)

Wow! Had not heard about Bill France too.

This project is taking on a Moon Landing level of focus.

**skycafe** · 13 Jun 2022, 18:11 (Ref:4115419)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Gordon, Chad Knaus and Jim France.

I think Ray Evernham was mentioned (?)

S griffin · 13 Jun 2022, 18:12 (Ref:4115421)

Good luck to them. It will help boost Le Mans to have some big American names across the pond competing. Especially at this time

broadrun96 · 13 Jun 2022, 20:58 (Ref:4115452)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skycafe

Wow! Had not heard about Bill France too.

This project is taking on a Moon Landing level of focus.

I think it's also helped by many of the parts they'll use will be standard Cup bits. Apparently Ford and Toyota have been kept in the loop, especially for the hybrid and drivetrain bits, outside of what they both probably already know about the GM engine package I'd guess. I think Kelly Crandall has something about that and why Ford and Toyota aren't up in arms about preferential treatment with NASCAR being involved in a GM car so much

**skycafe** · 13 Jun 2022, 22:57 (Ref:4115467)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skycafe

Bill France.
.

Blah! Disconnect between reading and posting...

Jim...Jim...Jim France!

**skycafe** · 23 Jun 2022, 13:23 (Ref:4116700)

Drums are pounding Jimmie Johnson signals

Also, Action Express to be involved in the G56 Nascar effort? Did 'we' know that?

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...rage-56-drive/

broadrun96 · 23 Jun 2022, 13:33 (Ref:4116701)

Yeah, Action Express developed the current gen Cup car so they would be doing the work to build up the chassis. I would not be surprised to see them run the car for LM as well since CGR gets the WEC Caddy chassis

**skycafe** · 23 Jun 2022, 16:35 (Ref:4116724)

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Yeah, Action Express developed the current gen Cup car so they would be doing the work to build up the chassis. I would not be surprised to see them run the car for LM as well since CGR gets the WEC Caddy chassis

Thanks, I hace been under a rock apparently. I thought Action Exp was an outgrowth from Flis? So, owned by Jim France, and manager is Gary Nelson.... I'm not a Nascar person, more road racing. Grew up outskirts of Orlando. Dayrona 60 miles one way, Sebring 90 miles the other way. Been to and follow the Daytona stock car events. Have met France family socially a long time ago.

The names involved with this project from the Nascar world are blowing me away. I'm not surprised as Big Bill made sportscars part of the show when he built DIS, and he courted Le Mans/ACO for ages. Had Nascar in 'his' 24 at DIS and the ACO's 24 in France in 1976. Invited the Inalteras, the first GTP in 1977 to his 24, and catered several times to European teams to have them contest the Daytona 24.

So, this Garage 56 project has some mighty racing history and personel behind it, at least for a now displaced Floridian.

S griffin · 24 Jun 2022, 10:22 (Ref:4116801)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skycafe

Drums are pounding Jimmie Johnson signals

Also, Action Express to be involved in the G56 Nascar effort? Did 'we' know that?

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...rage-56-drive/

Jimmie has had some experience of sportscars, so will probably do better at Le Mans than he has in Indycar

broadrun96 · 24 Jun 2022, 12:32 (Ref:4116809)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skycafe

Thanks, I hace been under a rock apparently. I thought Action Exp was an outgrowth from Flis? So, owned by Jim France, and manager is Gary Nelson.... I'm not a Nascar person, more road racing. Grew up outskirts of Orlando. Dayrona 60 miles one way, Sebring 90 miles the other way. Been to and follow the Daytona stock car events. Have met France family socially a long time ago.
So, this Garage 56 project has some mighty racing history and personel behind it, at least for a now displaced Floridian.

The Flis Bros, Troy merged Spirit of Daytona crew with the Flis Performance shop (brother Todd) to now be THE supplier of MX-5 Cup cars. I think they build the US based cars only but it was announced pre-pandemic so feels like a million years ago.

Action Express has grown from the little team (with France checkbook) and the "unauthorized" Cayenne engined DP to the front line GM DP/DPi/GTP team. But they are working the old adage, to make a small fortune in racing....

**skycafe** · 24 Jun 2022, 15:18 (Ref:4116828)

Thanks! I know the Flis' from the days of the Mitsubishi Eclipse at Daytona 24.

I did know they were involved in 'prep,' but did not realize they were that heavily involved in the Mazda stuff.

**joeb** · 31 Aug 2022, 13:39 (Ref:4124386)

The car has been out testing at Road Atlanta recently:

https://twitter.com/nascarg56/status...81772100616194

No clue how fast it is going, but has there been a target laptime mentioned anywhere?

broadrun96 · 31 Aug 2022, 14:20 (Ref:4124391)

Maybe that's the afternoon hot track activity left open on the schedule for Petit?

**skycafe** · 1 Sep 2022, 12:16 (Ref:4124470)

I think we know the identity of one of the drivers

**FIRE** · 1 Sep 2022, 17:48 (Ref:4124489)

How much different is this car to the regular NASCAR Cup Series Chevy?

Lutzvic · 2 Sep 2022, 05:25 (Ref:4124526)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

How much different is this car to the regular NASCAR Cup Series Chevy?

Same question here? It has a 40 HP electric motor...do they use the same confugariton in Nascar?

broadrun96 · 2 Sep 2022, 11:50 (Ref:4124557)

They haven't said much specifically about the car yet but sounds like an entirely new motor package and then some form of the spec hybrid that's to be added to Cup at some later date. And of course new bodywork all around to actually allow lights

**Adam43** · 2 Sep 2022, 12:37 (Ref:4124564)

Running the hybrid at Le Mans will be great for its development. I think that is one of the reasons for whole project (I can’t remember if they said this or I’ve just thought it was a good idea!)

**joeb** · 16 Nov 2022, 15:27 (Ref:4133949)

DSC reporting that the car has been out testing again, this time at VIR and includes all the higher ups from Hendrick.

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2022/...ts-at-vir.html

**FIRE** · 16 Nov 2022, 16:08 (Ref:4133955)

I assume Rockenfeller will be one of the drivers.

**joeb** · 16 Nov 2022, 16:16 (Ref:4133957)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

I assume Rockenfeller will be one of the drivers.

I believe he is the only one confirmed, unless I missed something. He has done all the testing as well.

**FIRE** · 16 Nov 2022, 16:32 (Ref:4133960)

Would be nice to have some former NASCAR stars in the car.
IIRC there's a NASCAR race in the Le Mans weekend so no current NASCAR ones.

Having no NASCAR regulars driving makes the project less interesting for me.

rx555 · 29 Nov 2022, 06:06 (Ref:4135278)

Jimmy Johnson seems like an obvious choice since he doesn't have many other racing commitments. All the regulars will be at Sonoma during LM.

**joeb** · 3 Dec 2022, 15:11 (Ref:4135989)

Is this just a promo, or will the car have Goodyear sponsorship?

https://twitter.com/nascarg56/status...LhnHyLc1w&s=19

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