WEC 24 Hours of Le Mans
NASCAR Next Gen “has to have hybrid” for Le Mans 24h entry
NASCAR’s Next Gen Cup car will have to race with hybrid engine technology for the first time at the Le Mans 24 Hours if Chevrolet lands the Garage 56 entry in 2023 as intended.
Gary Watkins
Edited: Mar 18, 2022, 2:09 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Race organiser the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has confirmed that acceptance of the entry from Hendrick Motorsports for the grid slot – reserved for what it describes as an “innovative car” – is dependent on the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 running an energy-recovery system.
That would give NASCAR the chance to test the hybrid technology on its Next Gen machine in competition ahead of its introduction in the premier Cup Series, which could happen as early as 2024.
ACO president Pierre Fillon told Motorsport.com at the launch of the project at this weekend’s ‘Super Sebring’ IMSA SportsCar Championship and World Endurance Championship double-header: “It has to have a hybrid system.
“Garage 56 is for a car dedicated to innovative technology; it needs to be something innovative.
“When Jim [France, NASCAR boss] told me there would be a new generation of car in NASCAR using a hybrid system and that he had this crazy idea to enter a NASCAR in Garage 56 in 2023, I was immediately enthusiastic.”
NASCAR and Chevrolet, however, have remained tight lipped about the technology to be employed in the Next Gen Camaro under development for the Garage 56 slot. The official press statement said only that “technical elements of the car will be announced at a later date”.
Top NASCAR and Chevrolet executives refused to elaborate on that at the press conference at Sebring on Thursday.
NASCAR president Steve Phelps stated as recently as last November that he the latest generation of Cup car could incorporate hybrid technology as early as 2024.
There has been no confirmation of the plan nor that it would be an off-the-shelf system used by all manufacturers, but it is known that Dallara has designed the one-make Next Gen chassis to incorporate a motor generator unit.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: NASCAR Media
Fillon expressed confidence that the Hendrick Camaro would land the Garage 56 grid spot for next year.
“We have to convince the selection committee for 2023, but I am sure with the high-level team behind this project they will take care of this,” he explained. “I am very confident.”
Fillon explained that the other criteria that need to be met by the Camaro concerned safety and the speed of the car. He revealed that work with FIA had already begun to ensure the tube-frame Next Gen chassis fulfils the necessary crash test requirements.
The desire is for the car to lap at the same speed as GTE Am machinery, which would mean it being able to lap the 8.47-mile Circuit de la Sarthe in somewhere around 3m50s.
The NASCAR machine would be the fifth car to take the innovative car slot at Le Mans, which was given the Garage 56 name back in 2012 because it was an additional entry at a time when 55 cars started the French enduro.
The lightweight Nissan DeltaWing of 2012 was the first Garage 56 racer in 2012 and was followed by the Japanese manufacturer’s hybrid Zeod in ’14 and two projects for disabled drivers using hand controls masterminded by quadruple amputee Frederic Sausset in 2016 and ’21.
Read Also:
- NASCAR "future-proofing" its Next Gen car to enable hybrid
- NASCAR boss Phelps: Hybrid power needed to lure new manufacturer
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article WEC Sebring 1000 Miles: Glickenhaus fastest in FP3 from Alpine
Next article WEC, Le Mans GTE Pro class gets car-count ultimatum for 2023
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Gary Watkins
A fond farewell to a few WEC favourites
WEC
Monza
A fond farewell to a few WEC favourites
WEC Monza: Antonio Fuoco takes pole for Ferrari
WEC
WEC
Monza
WEC Monza: Antonio Fuoco takes pole for Ferrari
More from
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports pokes fun at Denny Hamlin with Snickers photo: "That was all Rick"
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
Hendrick Motorsports pokes fun at Denny Hamlin with Snickers photo: "That was all Rick"
Who won the teammate battles of NASCAR Cup 2026?
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
Who won the teammate battles of NASCAR Cup 2026?
Alex Bowman hits out at critics in snarky post, shooting down early exit rumors
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
Alex Bowman hits out at critics in snarky post, shooting down early exit rumors
Latest news
Argentina set to make WRC comeback in 2028
WRC
WRC WRC 10 min
Argentina set to make WRC comeback in 2028
The impressive stats underpinning Liam Lawson's career-saving F1 season
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
The impressive stats underpinning Liam Lawson's career-saving F1 season
George Russell launches karting academy
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
George Russell launches karting academy
Liam Lawson retained by Racing Bulls for 2027 alongside Arvid Lindblad
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
3 h
Liam Lawson retained by Racing Bulls for 2027 alongside Arvid Lindblad
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe