The all-star lineup of drivers for the NASCAR Le Mans Garage 56 project tested at Daytona for two days on January 31 and February 1.

Jimmie Johnson, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller all got seat time aboard the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 test car, with a 12-hour endurance test the main objective for the test.

The two-day session is the latest step forward in preparation for the project’s intended entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 10-11.

The Garage 56 Camaro shared the track on the Tuesday with another racing Chevy, the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R that is scheduled to make its IMSA and FIA WEC debut next season

More endurance testing is scheduled in February at Sebring International Raceway.

The same day saw the first time for the three drivers to get to work together, with the addition of driver coach and reserve driver  Jordan Taylor.

Rockenfeller started the first day aboard the car with Button turning his first laps just before lunch.

That marked the 2009 F1 World Champion’s first outing at Daytona and his first experience behind the wheel of a Stock Car.

The test also saw the debut of another vital component in the team’s Le Mans preparations – working headlights – Hendricks Motorsports working with Dallara to develop the lighting system for the car.

The Hendricks Motorsports pit crew also got the opportunity to service the car not ‘over the wall’ as they would normally do in NASCAR, but from a temporary pit stall with first day times for the ZL1 broadly equivalent to class-leading times from GTD at the Rolex 24 Hours.

Day 2 of the session saw longer runs and emerging pace with the car taking in runs of 25-30 laps each.

Garage 56 crew chief Greg Ives told NASCAR.com that the test car accumulated approximately 1,500 miles during the two days, running for roughly 9 1/2 hours of the 12-hour testing block on Wednesday.

By late Wednesday, the car had gained enough speed that with Rockenfeller behind the wheel, it caught and passed the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R on track.

All four drivers got significant seat time and also got to experience stock-car driver changes with the drivers entering and exiting the car through the door window,.

And there is more NASCAR authenticity on those pit stops too with the car raised by Jackmen rather than the more regular airjacks!

With thanks to NASCAR.com