JC France wins inaugural HSR NASCAR Classic at Le Mans

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.

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 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 4:25am ET, with the weekend finale, Race 3, scheduled for 9:25am. Sunday's first race livestreams on the HSR and IMSA YouTube channels.