P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Inside the adaptations needed to realise NASCAR’s Le Mans return
“The entry of a NASCAR Cup car into this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours as the Garage 56 entry was described as ‘strange and exciting’ by FIA chief technical and safety officer Xavier Mestelan Pinon. The American stock car, developed in collaboration with Dallara, was a departure from the usual prototype and GT cars in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) grid. The challenge for the Le Mans organiser, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, and the FIA was to incorporate the Chevrolet Camaro LS1 driven by Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson, and Mike Rockenfeller into the existing class structure alongside Hypercar, LMP2, and GTE Am cars. Mestelan Pinon stressed that Garage 56 was an ACO project but the FIA was responsible for safety. The collaboration involved the WEC, NASCAR, IMSA, and the FIA, with the FIA assessing safety and certifying the car, while also considering technical choices from NASCAR. Changes were made to the fuel tank, steering column, and windows to meet FIA regulations and crash test requirements of the GTE regulations.”
Source: motorsport
