Jimmie Johnson joins ex-F1 World Champion Jenson Button in NASCAR’s LeMans entry Garage 56

The 2303 edition of 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place from 29 June to 2 July.


Jimmie Johnson joins ex-F1 World Champion Jenson Button in NASCAR’s LeMans entry Garage 56

Jimmie Johnson, Rockenfeller and Janson Button

The 2023 season is special for NASCAR and 24 Hours of LeMans as both premier motor racing events celebrate a milestone year. NASCAR is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the sport, and the prestigious endurance race is celebrating its 100th year. LeMans has allowed the stock car-sanctioning body to field the Next-Gen car on the 2023 edition of the event to mark the occasion.

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Hendrick Motorsports will field the No:56 Chevy Camaro ZL1 specially prepared for the event, overseen by legendary Crew Chief Chad Knaus. The team has announced the 4 drivers’ all-star lineup for the event. The lineup includes three champions from three different disciplines. As expected, NASCAR’s very own Jimmie Johnson will lead the lineup.

He is joined by 2009 Formula 1 world Champion Janson Button, who is considered one of the greatest F1 drivers from the UK. He has scored over 15 wins and 30 podiums in his illustrative career at the premier open-wheel series. Button ran the 2018 LeMans for SMP Racing in the LMP1 class and had to retire from the race.

The third driver is former LeMans Champion Rockenfeller. He was the overall winner in the 2010 LeMans and won the 2013 DTM championship. He is regarded as the heart of the team and has been part of all the test runs of the No:56 car so far. Rockenfeller was the teammate of Jimmie Johnson in the 2021 Rolex 24, driving the No:48 Cadillac.

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The reserve driver and coach for the No:56 team is four-time IMSA champion, Jordan Taylor. He was the GTE Pro class winner in 2015 at Le Mans and has scored 4 podium finishes in the event throughout his career. The three drivers will test together at the iconic Daytona International Speedway Road course in the coming weeks.

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Jimmie Johnson and his teammates open up about the LeMans entry

Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson

I’m super thrilled – it’s been at the top of my bucket list to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans someday. To have this opportunity come – and to partner with everybody and this driver lineup – is truly an incredible opportunity and one that I am thankful to be a part of,” says Jimmie Johnson.

As a lifelong racing fan, I have always dreamed of racing certain cars, with and against certain drivers and competing in certain events. In June, a number of those dreams will come true in one event when I get to bring NASCAR to the world stage alongside my pals Jimmie and ‘Rocky’ for the 100th anniversary of the most prestigious race in the world,” says Jenson Button.

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I’m really looking forward to sharing this journey with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and current and future NASCAR fans from around the world,” Button added.

It has been a great journey so far with the whole team and project. To be involved as a driver from day one until now was already a great honor, and to now have Jimmie and Jenson alongside me as teammates in Le Mans is unbelievable,” Rockenfeller said.

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