The champagne glasses were already lined up as NASCAR Chairman Jim France walked into the Garage 56 team garage on the Cirque de le Sarthe pit road in the closing minutes of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday. But instead of an “early” toast, he smiled and reminded the group, “we’re almost there” and insisted on waiting until the checkered flag.
NASCAR executives Mike Helton and Steve O’Donnell, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and team Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon joined IMSA President John Doonan nearby as seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson turned the race’s final laps in the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
They were not just watching those last moments, but soaking it all in — more than a year from conception to execution to champagne. The excitement was palpable. The impending achievement a heart-full.
And less than 10 minutes later, Johnson drove across that famous Le Mans finish line — the enormous grandstand crowd outside screaming in approval and the team’s familial crowd inside the garage erupting in applause and cheers as well. NASCAR’s return to Le Mans for the first time since 1976 was an absolute success.
“We’re thrilled,” France said. “I’m so proud of everybody. We came over here to make a good impression on the fans over here and I’m so proud we were able to run all the way. This is a big challenge and it’s gratifying to run the distance here.
“I love France and I love the fans over here too, so it’s been very heart-warming.”
If there were many in the enthusiastic crowd of 300,000 at Le Mans this weekend that weren’t already familiar with NASCAR, they certainly left the famous sports car course converted and seemingly all on board. The unmistakable sound of the engine of that Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet was a high-volume appeal every single one of the 285 times it completed a lap of competition around the iconic 8.476-mile course.
“My heart’s full,” Johnson said after making his way back to the team’s pit-side celebration. “All the reasons we came here with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, to come here with so many different faces and have this experience has just been awesome. My bucket’s full. I’m really happy.”
Even in the sort of exuberant exhaustion that exists in endurance racing, this team — from driver to crew to support staff and high-level executive — was still smiling, high-fiving and full of competitive energy 24 long hours after NBA superstar Lebron James issued the starting command for the Centennial celebration of the legendary race.
Johnson and his co-drivers, Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, sports car star Mike Rockenfeller and reserve driver Jordan Taylor had spoken often and fondly of their expectations on-track and in the lead-up to the race weekend. And by all accounts it was exactly the kind of unforgettable experience they all foresaw.
The car ultimately finished 39th out of 62 cars entered — the lone member of the special “Innovative Car class.”
It completed a distance more than three times that of the NASCAR Cup Series’ traditional test of “endurance,” the Coca-Cola 600, which was completed just two weeks ago a at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With six hours remaining in the twice-around-the-clock classic, it had out-paced all the GT entries and was holding steady in 28th position among the 62-car field.
But as is so often the case in endurance sports car racing, the morning light brings a new outlook, and in many cases new challenges and that’s what the team dealt with in the closing hours of the race.
After completing lap 254 — only 10 laps into a scheduled double stint for Button — the car had an extended stop for new brakes. It went back out, but he had to pit again to for the team to diagnose and repair a drive line issue. The team — led by Hendrick’s Vice President of Competition Chad Knaus and longtime crew chief Greg Ives — went to work ensuring the historic week finished on the same high note it started.