DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller and Jenson Button will drive the particular Storage 56 automotive that can race on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR champion, has lobbied exhausting for a spot within the three-driver lineup for his former group. He’d been ready for IndyCar and NASCAR schedules to be launched to make sure his availability, and was lastly confirmed Saturday forward of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“I am tremendous thrilled — it has been on the high of my bucket checklist to compete within the 24 Hours of Le Mans sometime,” Johnson stated. “To have this chance come, and to companion with all people and this driver lineup, is actually an unbelievable alternative and one which I’m grateful to be part of.”

Rockenfeller is a former Le Mans winner and has spent the previous two years racing the Rolex at Daytona Worldwide Speedway in a Hendrick sports activities automotive alongside Johnson. He has additionally performed the majority of the testing on the undertaking and pushed the automotive at each on-track check and within the simulator.

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Rockenfeller received the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans GT Class, the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 2013 German DTM championship. He has pushed the automotive at each on-track check and spent numerous hours behind the wheel within the simulator.

“It has been a fantastic journey thus far with the entire group and undertaking,” Rockenfeller stated. “To be concerned as a driver from day one till now was already a fantastic honor, and to now have Jimmie and Jenson alongside me as teammates in Le Mans is unbelievable.”

Button, the 2009 Method One world champion, was the shock decide, as most anticipated it could be four-time NASCAR champion and Corridor of Famer Jeff Gordon. Johnson had been actively recruiting Button, each drivers stated Saturday, however the 51-year-old Gordon was attempting to get again into racing form and even participated in an IMSA-sanctioned race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September.

“As a lifelong racing fan, I’ve at all times dreamed of racing sure automobiles, with and towards sure drivers and competing in sure occasions,” Button stated. “In June, quite a lot of these goals will come true in a single occasion once I get to convey NASCAR to the world stage alongside my friends Jimmie and Rocky for the a hundredth anniversary of essentially the most prestigious race on this planet.”

Gordon didn’t attend Saturday’s announcement at Daytona Worldwide Speedway as a result of he was ailing, however Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and basic supervisor Jeff Andrews stated Gordon was simply high-quality with the Storage 56 lineup.

“Because the starting of the Storage 56 undertaking, it has been our objective to companion with the highest racers on this planet to symbolize us in Le Mans,” NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France stated. “The lineup of Jimmie, ‘Rocky’ and Jenson is every thing we may have dreamed of — three elite drivers who’ve received on the highest ranges of motorsports worldwide.

“As we have a good time the seventy fifth anniversary of NASCAR, we’re honored to have these world-class champions assist convey the sights and sounds of a NASCAR race automotive to followers in Le Mans, and internationally.”

NASCAR will take its new Subsequent Gen automotive to Le Mans for the a hundredth anniversary of the race as a part of particular class that showcases expertise. Hendrick and Basic Motors have been tasked with the undertaking, however NASCAR has opened the info to all of the producers after others complained Storage 56 gave one group and one producer unfair entry to a automotive everybody remains to be studying.

The Subsequent Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is anticipated to be permitted for entry by l’Car Membership de l’Ouest (ACO) within the coming weeks to compete at Le Mans.

All three drivers will take part in subsequent week’s two-day check at Daytona Worldwide Speedway. Jordan Taylor, who at the moment competes within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing, will function the backup driver and driver coach. Taylor received the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Professional Class and has completed on the rostrum 4 instances. He’s a four-time IMSA champion.