Similarity of Spirit, Diversity of Strengths

In the build-up to the Rolex 24 At Daytona, one could sense pre-race anxiety in the air, fueled by the unknown reliability of new race cars, the first use of advanced hybrid technology, and concerns with supply chain challenges if parts were needed across all classes. Yet, there was a clear sense of harmony and collaboration among teams in this most competitive of environments.

As I walked through the garage area, attended media briefings, and participated in many industry meetings, my most significant observations were about the teamwork on display. The commitment to push boundaries of possibility was clear, anchored by the sheer wealth of talented individuals pulling in the same direction.

All these great teams playing to people’s strengths ultimately came together to deliver a great race. Many early fears proved largely unfounded through 24 hours of breathtakingly close competition.?I applaud all involved across all the classes and race series. Check out the highlights online here!

Not lost on me is this notion of similarity of spirit and diversity of strengths being a core factor in high-performance teams as we introduced our Garage 56 -NASCAR to Le Man’s driver line-up. We announced a group of seemingly disparate talents with Jenson Button, 2009 Formula One World Champion, joining seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and 2010 Le Mans winner?Mike Rockenfeller.?A few days after the ROLEX 24 at Daytona, they all got behind the wheel of the 2023 Camaro ZL1 NASCAR Cup car, the fruition of 12 months’ work by the project’s technical committee comprising people and organizations across many disciplines.?

Adapting the next-generation NASCAR Cup car to tackle the 100th anniversary of Le Mans is a fitting homage to NASCAR founder Bill France Sr, who first took stock cars to the French endurance classic almost half a century ago. We thank the Automobile Club de l'Ouest for supporting the Garage 56 entry thus far. We look forward to the official invite to be part of their “technology of tomorrow and beyond” initiative for innovative machinery. It’ll undoubtedly add a fascinating element to Le Mans’ centenary celebrations.

Shortly, we will all reconvene at Sebring International Raceway for the Mobil1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. There, we also welcome the World Endurance Championship to the United States for their season opener, the 1000 miles of Sebring. Super Sebring will be another weekend of exciting racing. While grueling for both people and machines, everyone from the pits to the grandstands is excited about it, with several areas already nearly sold out. This coming week, Sebring will also host sanctioned testing for IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge participants. Another opportunity for teams and drivers to fine-tune and optimize performance, fed by the many lessons learned from Daytona.

Endurance sports car racing continues to be THE platform for premium automotive manufacturers and the wider automotive industry to prove their technology.

I’m forever humbled by the spirit of collaboration and dedication to competitiveness inside the IMSA paddock; it’s the magic formula that makes IMSA the best platform to demonstrate what’s possible when human endeavors and technological advancements come together and overcome challenges to deliver compulsive entertainment to our fans.

I look forward to seeing you at the track soon.

John

#imsa #garage56 #lemans #collaboration #teamwork #strengths #talent #competitiveness

#sportscar #endurance #perserverance #technology