Ex-F1 driver Jenson Button, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, and former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of the NASCAR Garage 56 project next June.
The entry is a joint effort by NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, and Goodyear to enter the grid of the iconic race in a singular event that will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
The stellar driver line-up will share driving duties at the wheel of the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 challenger, set to run in next week’s two-day test at Daytona International Speedway with all drivers present.
“As a lifelong racing fan, I have always dreamed of racing certain cars, with and against certain drivers, and competing in certain events,” Button stated.
The 43-year-old Briton, who in 2009 captured the FIA Formula One world championship, retired from the pinnacle of motorsport at the end of the 2016 season, adding 15 wins, eight pole positions, and 50 podiums to his name.
“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,” he added.
Button Partners in Crime
Johnson’s remarkable career includes seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, winning 83 races for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet.
Recently, the American became part owner of the NASCAR Cup Series team LEGACY MOTOR CLUB that will take part in next month’s Daytona 500.
Last December, the 47-year-old from California helped test the Garage 56 car at the Sebring International Raceway.
“I’m super thrilled, it’s been at the top of my bucket list to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans someday,” Johnson outlined.
“To have this opportunity come, and to partner with everybody and this driver line-up, is truly an incredible opportunity and one that I am thankful to be a part of.”
Rockenfeller, the lead test driver for the Garage 56 project, completes an all-star team.
“It has been a great journey with the whole team and project,” Rockenfeller stressed.
Adding: “To be involved as a driver from day one until now was already a great honor, and now to have Jimmie and Jenson alongside me as teammates in Le Mans is unbelievable.”
Nicknamed “Rocky,” he triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010 and looks to achieve the feat again in 2023 with the Garage 56 outfit.
Previously in 2005, the 39-year-old tasted victory at Le Mans driving in the GT Class.
Moreover, in 2010, he added the iconic ROLEX 24 at Daytona to his name.
In 2013, the German claimed the German DTM championship driving for Audi Sport Team Phoenix.
Acting as the lead test driver, he has been at every on-track test, spending time behind the wheel in the simulator.
According to Hendrick Motorsports, Jordan Taylor, currently competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing, will serve as the backup driver and help coach the drivers.
Taylor, 31, won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro Class and has finished on the podium four times. He is a four-time IMSA champion.
“The line-up of Jimmie, ‘Rocky’ and Jenson is everything we could have dreamed of, three elite drivers who have won at the highest levels of motorsports worldwide,” said Jim France, NASCAR chairman, and CEO.
“As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of NASCAR, we are honored to have these world-class champions help bring the sights and sounds of a NASCAR race car to fans in Le Mans and across the world.”
In 2018, Button added the Super GT Series championship to his illustrious resume, sharing driving duties with teammate Naoki Yamamoto for Team Kunimitsu.
Early in 2021, he became a senior advisor for the team that saw him making his debut in Formula One, Williams Racing F1, in 2000.
As the Grove-based team outlined when signing a multi-year agreement, Button’s role is to provide advice and guidance, helping support and develop both race and academy drivers, also conducting ambassadorial duties for the team.
The same year, he launched the JBXE team, entering the inaugural Extreme E Championship as the squad owner and male driver.
During the second season of the pioneering electric SUV off-road racing series, which races on remote locations of the planet while raising climate change awareness, the Briton decided to focus on his duties as team owner.
In addition, Button acts as a tv commentator working with broadcaster Sky Sports F1.