The crowd chanted “USA! USA!” as NASCAR's driver lineup for the 24 Hours of Le Mans passed through the city center atop a convertible Chevrolet Camaro.
German driver Mike Rockenfeller, a two-time Le Mans winner, started the twice-around-the-clock event in the No. 24 Camaro fielded by Hendrick Motorsports with a lineup of seven-time NASCAR champion Johnson and 2009 Formula One champion Jenson Button. The race marked the first time since 1976 NASCAR had a presence at Le Mans.
“It was incredible," Johnson said after his nearly hour-long stint."All in all, just an amazing experience. One of the slow zones, it was a very crowded area with the fans – they were waving at me so I was waving back. It was really really fun. I want every lap I can get.
Chip Ganassi had a pair of Cadillacs racing for the overall win with a lineup that included six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, and Action Express Racing, a team supported by NASCAR and IMSA owner Jim France, also had a Cadillac. Privately, many teams conceded the only way to topple Toyota was if its two cars couldn't complete the race, and that allowed attention to shift to NASCAR and its star show.
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