LONDON
\nJenson Button is ready to rumble when NASCAR meets Le Mans on the centenary of the world\u2019s greatest sportscar race this weekend.
\nThe 2009 Formula One world champion is driving a special NASCAR entry at the Sarthe circuit with seven-times Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller.
\nThe trio share a modified Hendrick Motorsports Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 stock car as a \u2018Garage 56\u2019 entry highlighting future technology. Button, who made his NASCAR debut in March, said the car would not be taking anyone by surprise.
\n\u201cIt sounds even louder than a Cup car. That\u2019s what\u2019s going to blow people away. You\u2019ll be able to hear the car coming from a mile off. It is so loud,\u201d he told reporters recently.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve actually had different earplugs made to take the noise of the engine. It\u2019s that low rumble of a V8 that\u2019s pretty awesome. It will make you smile. If you\u2019re out on track and you hear it come past, it will make you smile. It will also make you smile because it\u2019s so big compared to everything else that\u2019s racing out there.
\n\u201cPeople will just hear it. The sound of it will blow their minds.\u201d
\nThe NASCAR entry is not competing for any class win — although given they are one of a kind it will feel like a win if they finish — but are there to mark the 75th anniversary of the US stock car series.
\nThey already won their first battle on Tuesday, with the mechanics beating all the GTE teams in a pitstop challenge, despite being the only ones using a manual jack to raise the car.
\nButton described the Chevrolet as a stock car on steroids, removed from those around it on the track but definitely not too quick. Some of the high speed corners will be a handful, the Briton added, but he hoped to be able to race towards the middle of the pack.
\n\u201cWe don\u2019t want to get in the way of people\u2019s races but we\u2019re still there to perform, still there to finish and as high up as we possibly can,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON Jenson Button is ready to rumble when NASCAR meets Le Mans on the centenary of the world\u2019s greatest sportscar race this weekend. The 2009 Formula One world champion is driving a special NASCAR entry at the Sarthe circuit with seven-times Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":336462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-336449","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n