JC France Wins Inaugural HSR NASCAR Classic Presented by Goodyear at The Le Mans Classic Legend Opening Race in Full-Circle Family Moment – HSR Photo
Historic Sportscar Racing’s First Overseas Race Celebrates the Golden Anniversary of NASCAR’s First Appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1976
France’s Triumph Delivers Golden Victory 50 Years After His Grandfather Bill France Sr., Brought NASCAR to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1976
LE MANS, France (July 4, 2026) – JC France delivered and unexpected but
fitting victory in Saturday’s opening race of the HSR NASCAR Classic
Presented by Goodyear at the Le Mans Classic Legend in his Garage 56
adorned 2014 No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro. France stayed in the lead pack
throughout the sprint race and moved to the front with less than two
laps to go when the early race leaders and other contenders ran out of
fuel or otherwise encountered issues knocking them from contention.
Fittingly, France’s victory carried added significance as the debut of
HSR NASCAR Classic at Le Mans is in part a tribute to the 50th
anniversary of NASCAR’s first appearance at Circuit de la Sarthe 50
years ago. Spearheaded by France’s grandfather, Bill France Sr., a pair
of NASCAR stock cars stole the show as guest entries in the 1976 24
Hours of Le Mans. Fifty years later, another member of NASCAR’s founding
family took the victory, bringing the story full circle in a truly
golden moment.
A pair of qualifying sessions Friday preceded Saturday’s weekend
opener – the first of three races – and gave drivers and teams their
first opportunity to tackle the legendary 8.5-mile Le Mans circuit.
Britain’s Andrew Jordan ultimately claimed pole position for the
inaugural HSR NASCAR Classic race overseas in the 2011 No. 15 Toyota
Camry, a former Michael Waltrip Racing machine driven by Clint Bowyer
during his NASCAR Cup Series career.
Multiple lead changes and spirited battles unfolded soon after the green
flag as Jordan traded positions with NASCAR legend Joe Nemechek in his
self-owned NEMCO Motorsports-prepared 2010 No. 47 Old Spice Toyota
Camry. The duo was joined at the front by longtime IMSA driver Mike
Skeen in the Dave Roberts 2012 No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger, and
NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch in the former Chip Ganassi Racing 2020
No. 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet Camaro, creating an early four-way battle
for the lead.
Jordan, a former HSR Classic 24 Hour Run Group winner, began to pull
away from the field, leading seven of the race’s nine laps and
building a comfortable advantage over the chasing pack.
However, in the closing minutes, the podium order was turned upside down
as Jordan, Skeen and Busch encountered suspected fuel shortages,
abruptly ending what had been dominant performances.
Nemechek was knocked from contention earlier with a cut tire while
Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion, fell to 18th, Skeen was
classified 17th and Jordan still managed a Top-10 to finish ninth.
Joining France in the overall top three was another British driver,
Nigel Armstrong, who finished second in the 2007 No. 44 Menards Toyota
Camry, a former Frank Kimmel-driven machine that helped carry the ARCA
legend to one of his record 10 championships. Ryan Gemmell completed top
top trifecta in third overall aboard the No. 55 Perrier Chevrolet Monte
Carlo from “Talladega Nights.”
The HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Goodyear resumes on-track action
Sunday, July 5, with a pair of feature races. Race 2 is set for 10:25
a.m. local time (4:25 a.m. EDT), with the weekend finale, Race 3,
scheduled for 3:25 p.m. local time (9:25 a.m. EDT). Sunday’s first race
livestreams on the HSR and IMSA YouTube channels.
The entry list for the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Goodyear Le Mans
Classic Legend is available by clicking here [1]. Additional
information, including the provisional event schedule, event ticket
purchases and more can be found at the official HSR NASCAR Classic Le
Mans Classic Legend Event Page by clicking here [2].