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NASCAR, IMSA, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear all announced a collaborative effort Thursday to field a car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023. The car, a modified Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 NASCAR Cup Series car, will be the first NASCAR stock car to compete at Le Mans since 1976.

The NASCAR entry will be fielded out of Garage 56, a single-car class which is reserved for concept cars testing future technology at Le Mans. Hendrick Motorsports vice president of competition and seven-time Cup Series champion crew chief Chad Knaus will oversee the entry, with technical elements of the car and a driver lineup to be announced at a later date.

In 1976, a NASCAR-spec Dodge Charger and Ford Torino were entered in the Grand International class. The Dodge was driven by father and son combo Hershel and Doug McGriff, while the Ford was split between Dick Brooks, Dick Hutcherson and French driver Marcel Mignot. The program was spearheaded by longtime NASCAR CEO Bill France Jr.

"From the early days of NASCAR, it was important to my father that we played a visible role in international motorsports, and there is no bigger stage than the 24 Hours of Le Mans," read a statement by Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. "In partnering with Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, we have the winningest team, manufacturer and tire in NASCAR history. We look forward to showcasing the technology in the Next Gen car and putting forward a competitive entry in the historic race."

NASCAR's entry into Le Mans opens up a world of possibility for the sport's drivers, but it remains to be seen whether any active NASCAR drivers would be part of the car's driver lineup.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, NASCAR president Steve Phelps shared that it was currently unclear whether or not any NASCAR drivers would be available to race at Le Mans, while car owner Rick Hendrick expressed that he would like to see a mixture of NASCAR and IMSA drivers in the car.

The NASCAR entry takes advantage of Garage 56 at Le Mans, which was introduced in 2012 as a platform to test new automotive and racing technologies without taking a spot away from a car on the traditional starting grid.