HSR NASCAR Classic brings historic stock cars to Le Mans Classic Legend

Historic Sportscar Racing takes its racing heritage to one of motorsport’s most hallowed venues this weekend as the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Goodyear joins the Le Mans Classic Legend at Circuit de la Sarthe from July 3-5.

The event marks HSR’s first overseas race and will showcase more than 30 HSR Historic NASCAR stock cars on the same legendary French circuit that has hosted the 24 Hours of Le Mans for more than a century.

Two of the historic weekend’s three races will be livestreamed with English-speaking commentary and available on the HSR and IMSA YouTube channels. The first race broadcast window is 11-11:55am ET on Saturday. The second race streams on Sunday at 3:55-4:50am ET. The weekend’s third and final race later on Sunday will not be part of this weekend’s livestream programming schedule.

Numerous historically significant entries are set to compete in the full weekend celebration, which coincides with the Fourth of July Holiday and the year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. The diverse field ranges from a Richard Petty-inspired 1966 No. 43 Plymouth Belvedere to more modern machinery retired from competition across NASCAR’s umbrella of major series.

Several legacies will be honored across the grid as Victor Corda and Chris Stillwell each campaign 2009 Ford Mustangs with lineage to the late Greg Biffle, while Michael Parsons will be behind the wheel of the iconic black No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet Lumina, a chassis driven by, “The Intimidator,” Dale Earnhardt Sr. from 1992 to 1994 with Richard Childress Racing.

For Corda, the opportunity to compete at Le Mans with his family during a milestone weekend for both NASCAR and the United States is one he doesn't take for granted.

"It's an opportunity of a lifetime," said Corda, who races with Cobra Automotive in his ex-Roush Fenway Racing 2009 No. 60 Ford Mustang. "I don't think that I'll ever have the opportunity again. We decided it would be the thing to do. I'm very lucky my wife Erica is going to come out and crew for me, and my son Kyle and his fiancée Hannah are coming out to help. It's a pretty exciting, pretty aggressive schedule and pretty neat event. So, you get to Le Mans on the 250th birthday of America where NASCAR has become so synonymous here in the states. I think that was an interesting piece of it for us too that made it exciting and I'm really looking forward to it."

2026 NASCAR Hall of Famer and 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch is set to make his Le Mans racing debut in the HSR NASCAR Classic aboard his NEMCO-prepared 2020 No. 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet Camaro, a former Chip Ganassi Racing machine Busch raced in its prime.

"For me, it's getting those juices flowing, grabbing gears, feeling the speed and the energy of the car again," Busch said. “With HSR, I didn't know about it and started doing some research. I had a Goodyear tire test, and a guy from HSR came up and said, 'You're going to Le Mans this year.' I said, 'What? How do you get to Le Mans? What are you guys doing?' He said, 'We're shipping as many cars as we can to Le Mans.' I'm like, 'I have a car. Let's go.'"

Former Pro Football lineman Scott Dolfi will also pilot a former Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado NASCAR Truck from 2016, originally driven by John Hunter Nemechek, helping honor the legacy and impact of the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.

Beyond honoring the sport’s legends, the field also pays tribute to NASCAR's history at Le Mans. The former Donlavey Racing No. 90 1976 Ford Torino is the same car that served as one of two original NASCAR entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 50 years ago. Jean Algernas will continue the car's legacy behind the wheel this weekend as HSR celebrates the 50th anniversary of NASCAR’s first appearance at the famed French circuit.

The evolution of NASCAR’s Le Mans journey wouldn’t be complete without a tribute to the sanctioning body’s groundbreaking Garage 56 entry from 2023. Leading that connection between past and present is JC France who pilots a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro carrying the same Garage 56 livery that Jimmie Johnson, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller drove at Le Mans in 2023.

From history to Hollywood, a trio of "Talladega Nights" inspired entries will take to the grid to honor the 20th anniversary of the 2006 film. Stock car road racing specialist Ryan Gemmell will drive the No. 55 Perrier 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo used by Sacha Baron Cohen, who portrayed Jean Girard, during the filming of the blockbuster comedy.

Joining Gemmell are 1992 NASCAR Busch Series champion Joe Nemechek, who will pilot the Cal Naughton Jr.-inspired No. 47 Old Spice 2006 Toyota Camry honoring the character portrayed by John C. Reilly, and HSR and IMSA President John Doonan, who will take the wheel of the iconic Wonder Bread 2006 No. 26 Toyota Camry made famous by Ricky Bobby, portrayed by Will Ferrell.