Hendrick Motorsports' Garage 56 effort beats F1's Red Bull Racing and Ferrari's Le Mans Hypercar entry to win prestigious award

The NASCAR engineers involved with the Garage 56 project, which marked NASCAR's return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this year, have been presented with the Dino Toso Racecar Aerodynamicist of the Year award.

The car was a collaborative effort by Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR, Chevrolet, and Goodyear. They made history as their Next Gen-based stock car, the modified Chevy Camaro ZL1, made its debut at the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe.

They were awarded with the honor last week during the Race Tech World Motorsport Symposium at the Embassy of Switzerland in London.

Notably, the other finalists for the award included the Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' champion, Red Bull Racing. Scuderia Ferrari, which won Le Mans with its 499P Hypercar, was another finalist.

NASCAR Vice President of Vehicle Performance, Dr. Eric Jacuzzi, and NASCAR Vice President of Vehicle Design, Brandon Thomas, accepted the award on behalf of the engineers.

Hendrick Motorsports continues to maintain its stronghold in NASCAR

Over the years, Hendrick Motorsports has remained firmly positioned at the pinnacle of NASCAR. With an unparalleled record of 301 victories in NASCAR's premier division, the Cup Series, the team remains a towering force in the sport.

Although the team missed out on this year's Cup Series title by a slender margin, the recent recognition as Dino Toso Racecar Aerodynamicist of the Year stands as a testament to their long-drawn success.

The Garage 56 initiative was a successful collective effort of Hendrick Motorsports with NASCAR's most successful manufacturer and tire. The vehicle competed in the 100th-anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, marking NASCAR's return to the iconic event after 47 long years.

The Next Gen platform, typically associated with oval tracks, underwent substantial modifications, including specially crafted aerodynamic components, to compete in the 2023 edition of the endurance race.

Despite being ineligible for traditional classifications, the Garage 56 entry completed an impressive 2,413 miles in the event, with a driver squad featuring former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (with Hendrick Motorsports) Jimmie Johnson, and two-time Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller.

The No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 finished the race in 39th position out of 62 cars. The vehicle ran a total of 285 laps at the 8.467-mile circuit.