When Rick Hendrick and Jimmie Johnson led the Garage 56 entry to Le Mans in 2023, it was celebrated as a landmark moment for American stock car racing. But the roots of the Rick Hendrick Le Mans legacy actually trace back to Cale Yarborough’s trailblazing journey across the Atlantic decades earlier, setting a precedent for NASCAR’s involvement on the world’s most prestigious endurance racing stage.
The Bold Leap: Garage 56 and NASCAR’s Modern European Showcase
In 2023, the motorsports world took notice as Jimmie Johnson joined forces with Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller for the Garage 56 project at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their presence, along with the unmistakable sound and design of a Cup-style stock car, embodied a shift in perception about American racing internationally. Rick Hendrick’s involvement ensured that NASCAR’s first official return to Le Mans in decades would be accompanied by the kind of attention and professionalism reserved for elite international events.
This was more than a flashy appearance—it was a well-coordinated statement: NASCAR belongs among the world’s most competitive endurance racers. For many younger fans, Garage 56 appeared to be the debut of American stock cars at the French classic, but the milestone had in fact been preceded by a quieter, yet profoundly influential entry years before.
Cale Yarborough’s Daring Foray at Le Mans
More than forty years before Garage 56, Cale Yarborough carried the NASCAR torch into unexplored territory. In 1981, as a three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, Yarborough teamed with Billy Hagan and Bill Cooper to tackle the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their car of choice was Hagan’s Stratagraph Inc. Camaro—a machine sporting a potent 6.4-liter, all-aluminum stock-block V8 engine producing approximately 620 horsepower.
Their original driver roster was even stronger, with Terry Labonte and David Pearson considered before plans changed. With a chassis built in Milwaukee and running a suspension more suited to Daytona than the French countryside, the Camaro looked like an outsider among Le Mans’ collection of sleek European prototypes. Still, on the legendary Mulsanne Straight, it thundered by at close to 195 mph, turning heads and capturing fans with its visceral sound and raw speed.
“Cale Yarborough raced in the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving a Camaro. Like the Garage56 entry, it was said that the crowd loved the loud engineUnfortunately, after the first pitstop, Cale lost his brakes and had to crash it into the guardrail to avoid hitting people pic.twitter.com/jw8edsHrLC”— nascarman (@nascarman_rr)
For a fleeting period during the opening hours, Cale Yarborough’s American-built Camaro held its own on the track. Yet, the challenge of endurance racing soon emerged vividly. After just 13 laps—about two hours into the dual—Yarborough experienced a catastrophic brake failure. With split-second judgment, he steered the Chevrolet into the guardrail, sacrificing the car to ensure the safety of spectators. The moment was abrupt, bringing an early end to what had stirred hope and awe on both sides of the Atlantic.
Despite the briefness of this charge, Yarborough’s journey left a legacy. The following season, Billy Hagan came back to Le Mans, fielding two cars that finished second and third in the IMSA GTO class. NASCAR drivers Hershel McGriff and Dick Brooks took the wheel, further extending the American story. However, the uniqueness of Yarborough’s 1981 attempt remains central to the narrative of stock car racing’s ambition at Le Mans.
NASCAR’s True First Encounter with Le Mans
Even before Cale Yarborough’s explosive 1981 run, NASCAR’s presence had been felt at Le Mans. In 1976, Bill France Sr. personally worked with the race’s organizers to carve out a new Grand International category for American stock cars. This diplomatic effort was aimed at integrating NASCAR’s thunderous V8s into the historic European endurance scene, a move as bold in intention as it was in sound.
Hershel McGriff, a respected veteran from the West Coast, led one entry as owner-driver, sharing his Olympia Beer-liveried Dodge Charger with his son, Doug. Alongside them, Junie Donlavey fielded a Ford Torino piloted by Richard Brooks and Dick Hutcherson, both experienced in the weekly grind of American racing.
As the green flag flew—waved by Bill France Jr. himself—the event was a spectacle. Curiosity buzzed among fans, the sight and sound of stock cars juxtaposed with refined European machinery was a sharp and memorable contrast. However, the realities of Le Mans endurance soon imposed themselves. McGriff’s Charger failed on only its second lap, forced to retire with an engine blowout and marked as having “No Result.” Donlavey’s Torino managed to last several more hours, but ultimately fell to mechanical woes just past midnight.
Neither American car would see the checkered flag, but the experiment planted the seeds for future generations, making it clear NASCAR would continue to chase Le Mans dreams.
The Enduring Influence of Pioneers on the Rick Hendrick Le Mans Legacy
The stories of Cale Yarborough, Hershel McGriff, and other early American stock car racers at Le Mans illustrate how today’s headlines are built on decades of bold attempts and painful setbacks. Rick Hendrick’s role in the 2023 Garage 56 program, backed by drivers like Jimmie Johnson and supported by names including Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller, is the result of numerous foundational efforts and lessons drawn from history.
Each attempt—whether marked by spectacular falls, short-lived runs, or near-class victories—contributed to NASCAR’s relentless pursuit of global recognition. Without figures like Billy Hagan, Dick Brooks, Terry Labonte, Bill Cooper, Richard Brooks, and the generations-spanning efforts of individuals such as Bill France Sr. and Jr., the idea of a “Rick Hendrick Le Mans legacy” might never have transformed from vision to reality.
The significance of these unlikely crossings is that the story continues. For American motorsport fans, each new Le Mans entry is more than a shot at a trophy—it’s a powerful chapter in a legacy built by risk-takers, showmen, and innovators who dared to bring a distinct American sound and spirit to the world’s most revered endurance race.
Cale Yarborough raced in the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving a Camaro. Like the Garage56 entry, it was said that the crowd loved the loud engine
Unfortunately, after the first pitstop, Cale lost his brakes and had to crash it into the guardrail to avoid hitting people pic.twitter.com/jw8edsHrLC
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) June 10, 2023
