Johnson and Rockenfeller Reflect On Le Mans Experience Two Years Later
By Tony DiZinno
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Premiering today, “American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans” on Prime Video captures and reveals the “lightning in a bottle” experience of the once-in-a-lifetime collaboration for the NASCAR Next Gen Garage 56 effort at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans (photo above courtesy Prime Video, via Getty Images/NASCAR).
Drivers Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller and Jenson Button shared the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, a Hendrick Motorsports-prepared effort that brought NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France’s vision to compete at Le Mans to life. Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, Goodyear and IMSA worked together to develop and execute the plan. Although a late transmission issue delayed them slightly, the car finished the race 39th overall and took the checkered flag.
The Prime Video documentary that captured the experience serves as a time capsule for Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Rockenfeller, an overall race winner at both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 At Daytona and Button, the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion.
The Garage 56 effort was a unique blend for Johnson, given his extensive two decades of NASCAR experience, and Rockenfeller, given his prolific two decades in professional sports car racing. For starters, the documentary crew blended into the background as the week-plus at Le Mans progressed.
“Ordinarily when there’s a documentary crew, it can be kind of an irritation because you’re trying to work. You’re trying to win a race,” Johnson said. “And there was a different agenda with this project. I think it might be the most relaxed docu-style or honestly documentary series. The camera crews were there as we were trying to invite them in to show how unique this experience was, and all the work, effort and energy that went into it.”
For Rockenfeller (group photo of key personnel right, IMSA Photo), the Garage 56 effort marked his 11th start in Le Mans, and one of his most special.
“Obviously I know the whole scenery, right? Nothing was unexpected, but to go there with this unique car, I was blown away by the reactions of everyone,” Rockenfeller said.
“When I go somewhere in America, when I race in IMSA, there’s so many people with model cars, autograph cards and everything else, which is great.
“Here though it was so cool because I was, let’s say, one of the European drivers in this project but I was representing American racing abroad in my ‘not-country.’”
Rockenfeller noted the size and scope of the project from his first sim day, and Johnson was keen to rely on his expertise as part of his own learning process.
“I saw all these partners … I’ve never seen so many people attending a sim session,” Rockenfeller laughed.
Johnson knew the once-in-a-lifetime potential of the opportunity, not only to reunite with Hendrick Motorsports but also to race at Le Mans for the first time (photo left courtesy Team Chevy, via Getty Images/NASCAR).
“After my whole NASCAR career, we were all back together for that moment,” Johnson said. “We had the chance to develop the car with Rocky and (Wayne Taylor Racing driver) Jordan Taylor who had also come on board and were so thankful to them.
“The experience we had, the friendship that grew from that, the time we spent together and the race itself, there were so many true emotional pieces to the event that I don’t think I could have experienced elsewhere.”
There was also the matter of where the Camaro would fit in, pace-wise, amidst the field. It blended out nicely between the combined prototype field of Hypercars and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) specification entries, ahead of the LMGT3 Grand Touring cars.
“I know Rocky felt like there was a big obligation to make sure his experience would really help this car on track and be ready for the performance required at Le Mans,” Johnson explained.
“The other categories were a little nervous about us being out there. And I’ll never forget the first driver meetings; they’re thinking do they need to put a special light on our car and notify us differently since different cars would approach us at such a high rate of speed.
“Now, everyone knows how quick the car was. There were just these various layers we collectively worked through and collaborated on in this extremely special opportunity, which makes it different than anything else I’ve ever experienced.
Johnson’s sports car racing experience prior to Le Mans came in prototypes, both in the GRAND-AM Rolex Series era Daytona Prototype (DP) chassis and later in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Daytona Prototype international (DPi) formula. He shared an Action Express Racing-prepared, No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R with Rockenfeller for two seasons from 2021 to 2022 (IMSA Photo, right).
At Le Mans, Johnson stepped into a car in the middle of the field on pace, so he learned the difference between being the passer (in a prototype) and the car being passed (in the Garage 56 entry). Rockenfeller, whose experience runs the gamut across both genres of vehicles and some of the car’s driver aids, helped the process.
“I was pretty nervous about it,” Johnson admitted. “I really got in a habit in prototype of rarely checking your mirrors, because they don’t usually have any pressure from behind.
“I think Jordan was so helpful as well with the radar system that you’re allowed to run in the GT category, and we got that dialed in pretty well. And then Rocky and his experience of the track where you position yourself was key.
“The final few corners (Porsche Curves and Ford Chicane) are tricky because the prototypes catch you at a high rate of speed, so there’s kind of a couple scenarios there where you’ve got to be on your toes. But with all the prep, it turned out to be a better experience staring in the mirror the whole time than I expected. It was a welcome surprise.”
“Welcome surprise” is a good phrase to describe the entire Le Mans experience for Johnson, Rockenfeller, Button and what the ground-pounding Camaro did as a one-off fan favorite. From stacked autograph lines to the team’s success in pit stop practice, the Garage 56 entry made countless memories … and memes.
“From the parade to the autograph session, there were just these various moments that just kept impressing me I wasn’t expecting,” Johnson said. “There was even one night we went to a small little track bar outside the garage area. We went there and got some beers one night and the fans were going crazy over the fact we’re driving the Garage 56 car.
“All the social media that came out of it was amazing. The music. The screeching eagle. All the different elements. The jumbo-sized car. There’s the famous picture … I thought somebody had Photoshopped it at first, then I realized that’s just how big our car was! That was a really fun moment. We had some good laughs along the way.”
Rockenfeller summarized it well, too.
“We worked with the best of the best people on that project, and we got such amazing feedback from the fans and all the other drivers in the paddock, the manufacturers and teams,” Rockenfeller said. “Looking back at the whole journey of the week and the full 24-hour race, I would say it was probably one of the coolest experiences in my whole racing career and now to have a documentary about it is super special, clearly. Especially since I haven’t seen it yet!”
Rockenfeller, Johnson and anyone else who wants to will be able to stream “American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans” on Prime Video starting today.