How Weight Loss Is Key for NASCAR Garage 56 Entry at Le Mans

May 16, 2023

Making it 24 hours would mean about 3,000 miles for NASCAR entry.

Will "The Beast," as Jenson Button refers to the Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1, make it to the finish of the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

The usual factors will come into play. Button, co-drivers Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller will have to keep the Garage 56 entry on the 8.5-mile track and out of the harm's way, which comes in the form of the faster prototypes and the GT cars, which turn lap times close to those of the Camaro.

But consider the gravel traps in case of error. They can be treacherous and bring a swift end to the race of any car getting stuck in them. Yet, before the first competitive race lap, the gravel traps have been helpful to the Camaro ZL1 of Hendrick. For the tractors used at Le Mans to lift cars from the traps, there is a maximum weight and cars must pass a "lift test" in scrutineering.

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest arrived at 2,960 pounds for the Camaro to pass its lift test, which is done without the driver. Raced at 3,200 pounds in NASCAR sans driver, the Camaro has officially lost 240 pounds. To lose weight, the Camaro has lighter wheels, far more carbon fiber panels and bodywork made from the same molds used for NASCAR Cup cars that is significantly lighter.

Lighter is better for driving, braking, long straights and hopping the ubiquitous curbs thousands of times in a 24-hour race. A lighter weight also means the engine builders at Chevy, Hendrick Motorsports and ECR, the engine building operation of Richard Childress Racing, could keep an eye on the endurance of the car's V8.

Given that the Camaro has a sequential gearbox and a paddle shift, the iron block V8 is the biggest concern about finishing if the car stays on the track.

"They had a think about how to make a motor designed to last 600 miles on Memorial Day weekend and make it last for 24 hours, or hopefully 3,000 miles" said John Doonan, president of IMSA and appointed the manager of the Garage 56 program by NASCAR chairman Jim France. "A lot of things learned by Chevrolet in sports car racing have been applied to the motor, the valve train primarily."

During the first Grand-Am prototype era followed by the DPi cars, GM's Chevy and Cadillac brands participated annually in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in addition to the Corvettes racing in the GT classes in IMSA and annually at Le Mans.

A Cup engine generally falls in the 800-horsepower range for 500-mile races. While no one is mentioning specific figures for the Garage 56 car, the lighter weight likely means getting by with less horsepower than Hendrick and ECR are capable of building. Among its various test days, the Camaro completed a 24-hour test at Sebring.

The goal was to be faster than the GTE Am entries, enabling the Camaro drivers to steer clear of the class where one gentlemen driver is required for each car. Doonan said that the lap times anticipated for the Camaro by the team and the ACO have been reached.

In the second afternoon session on the Test Day on Sunday, the Camaro drivers consistently turned in laps in the 3:53 range. That was 13 seconds slower than the slowest LMP2 car, but still ahead of the GTE entries by three seconds. In the first qualifying session on Wednesday, the Camaro dropped six seconds to record a lap of 3:47.976, which was four seconds clear of the fastest GTE entry.

Despite all its carbon fiber, including a longer front splitter and rear diffuser compared to Cup cars, the NASCAR Camaro remains a "beast" as the heaviest car in the field. Could that be an advantage?

Consider the overall victory in 1995 of the factory McLaren F1 GTR, which beat the Courage prototype to the checkered flag and denied a Le Mans victory to Mario Andretti and Bob Wollek. In persistent rain, the McLaren's heavier weight gave it an advantage.

What is the forecast for Le Mans? There is an 80% chance of rain on Saturday and 50% on Sunday. While the Camaro's goal is to finish the race, not contest positions, under rainy conditions its weight could be an advantage for the drivers, who will be riding on Goodyear tires.

Goodyear shoes the LMP2 entries and this year came with tires specific to the Camaro and the Le Mans track as well. The dry tires are wider in the front (by 0.5 inches) and rear (by 1.5 inches) compared to the Cup cars. But the intermediate and full wet tires will be mounted on the standard 12-inch wheels used in NASCAR wet weather races.

Given all the variables of running to the finish at Le Mans, a lighter "Beast" that is still heavier than its competition could well be an advantage.

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