The NASCAR aerodynamic tussle in the quest for blistering speeds has been the talk of the town lately. With the roll-out of next-gen cars, there’s been a noticeable dip in their velocity, prompting drivers to clamor for more horsepower. However, NASCAR nixed this idea right off the bat, opting instead to tweak the aerodynamics to give the cars a boost. NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports earlier threw their hat into the ring for the 2023 special Garage 56 entry in 24 Hours of Le Mans.

And as per the latest updates: the NASCAR engineers behind the Garage 56 venture, which propelled a Next Gen-based stock car into the limelight at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, have scooped up the prestigious Dino Toso Racecar Aerodynamicist of the Year award. Their groundbreaking work in motorsports aerodynamics has not gone unnoticed, earning them this high-flying accolade.

Hendrick Motorsports has once again soared to new heights, adding yet another accolade to its impressive collection

The year 2023 has been a banner season for Hendrick Motorsports, marked by a string of remarkable achievements. Their latest triumph? Scooping up the Aerodynamicist of the Year award, outshining heavyweights like the Formula 1 champion Oracle Red Bull Racing team and the Le Mans-winning Scuderia Ferrari with its 499P Hypercar. This victory underscores NASCAR’s towering presence in the motorsports arena.

The Garage 56 project made its mark at the 100th-anniversary edition of the 24-hour Le Mans on June 10-11 in France. The groundbreaking endeavor was the result of a collaborative effort among NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, and Goodyear. They came together to craft a modified Chevy Camaro ZL1, equipped with bespoke aerodynamic features, ready to tackle the grueling endurance race and hold its own against an international roster of sports cars at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

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The award ceremony took place last week at the prestigious Race Tech World Motorsport Symposium, held in the heart of London at the Embassy of Switzerland. Dr. Eric Jacuzzi, NASCAR’s Vice President of Vehicle Performance, and Brandon Thomas, NASCAR’s VP of Vehicle Design, were there to accept the honor.

Garage 56, a one-of-a-kind contender in the “Innovative Car” category at Le Mans, may not have been in the running for a class or overall win, but it made a remarkable impact, clocking in 2,413 miles. The car was helmed by an all-star driver lineup featuring Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson, and Mike Rockenfeller. A panel of global industry experts, serving as judges, bestowed the award, which has been a prestigious part of the motorsport landscape since 2005. It’s named in honor of the late Dino Toso, a two-time recipient renowned for his work with the Renault F1 team.

Riding high on this wave of success, NASCAR is now gearing up for a short-track test session, ready to take on new challenges with its award-winning innovation and spirit.

NASCAR is revving up for another short-track testing adventure

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Six drivers are gearing up to take on Phoenix Raceway for a two-day NASCAR Cup Series short-track testing session. Among them is Team Penske’s 2023 champ, Ryan Blaney, joined by a lineup of speedsters including Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, Erik Jones, and Corey LaJoie. NASCAR’s bigwigs are looking to fine-tune the Next Gen car across various aspects.

Chris Popiela, NASCAR’s senior aerodynamics honcho, outlines the testing agenda: aerodynamics, tweaking gearbox changes for smoother shifting, reworking muffler designs, and cooling down the cockpit heat. Plus, they’re rolling out a range of tire setups in collaboration with Goodyear. Each of these four domains has its own to-do list for the two-day drill, all aimed at elevating the short-track racing experience next season.

A chunk of the test is all about getting the tires just right. When it comes to gearboxes, the goal is to tweak them to reduce or even scrap the constant shifting drivers currently navigate on short tracks. Mufflers, which brought down noise levels at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Chicago Street Course, are in the spotlight too, but this time to bring down the scorching cockpit temperatures.

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Reflecting on the previous short-track test, the cars were a bit on the wild side, leading NASCAR to experiment with removing more underwing parts, including the entire rear diffuser, and beefing up the spoiler by two inches. Now, with fresh input from the drivers, the Aero team is all set to map out the next leg of their journey to amp up short-track racing.