Spire Motorsports announced Tuesday that Rockenfeller will drive the No. 77 of the team in the August 21st Cup race at Watkins Glen (NY) International and in the October 9th race on Charlotte’s Roval.
Two Europeans are also taking part in next week’s race at the Glen, former Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen and former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat.
Rockenfeller, 38, has had a successful career in motorsports spanning nearly two decades, including partnering with seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the ‘Audi in 2010.
“Ever since I started my professional racing career in the early 2000s, I’ve always kept an eye on NASCAR,” said Rockenfeller. “Also, after teaming up with Jimmie Johnson, one of the sport’s heroes, my respect and appreciation for NASCAR has grown.”
“It is an immensely competitive series, with some of the greatest riders in the world racing wheel to wheel, inches away from each other. The margin of error is minimal at best. Watkins Glen is a tough track for any car, but given the sensitivity and size of a NASCAR Cup Series car, I think it will be an even bigger challenge. ”
A former DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) champion, Rockenfeller finished third overall at the 2004 Daytona 24 Hours as a competitor to Porsche Junior and took his first American victory in the Daytona Prototype (DP) class in the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
# 48 Action Express Cadillac DPi: Mike Rockenfeller, Kamui Kobayashi, Jimmie Johnson, Jose Maria Lopez
Photo by: Richard Dole / Motorsport Images
Rockenfeller emphasized his versatility by recording consecutive top three finishes for Chevrolet at the Rolex 24 and 12 Hours of Sebring from 2015 to 2019 in IMSA Sportscar Championship competitions. In 2017 he took victory in the GTLM class with Corvette Racing at Sebring aboard a C7.R.
# 48 Ally Cadillac, Cadillac DPi, DPi: Mike Rockenfeller, Kamui Kobayashi, Jimmie Johnson
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
While Rockenfeller has not yet lapped on Charlotte’s Roval, his successes at Watkins Glen include an overall third place in 2006 Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen and a sixth place in 2022 for Ally / Action Express Racing, where he shared the cockpit with Johnson and Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi (above).
“I was lucky enough to race with LMP, DTM and GT prototypes, but now I’m ready to make my name known in NASCAR,” he said. “It is a great honor for me to race the NationsGuard # 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and I want to thank Spire Motorsports for giving me this opportunity to start a new chapter in my career.”
Team President Bill Anthony added: “Mike is a talented and world-renowned driver and we are thrilled to introduce him to NASCAR. We have invested in getting Mike quickly accustomed to the Driver Familiarization Test and our Chevrolet partners have generously offered simulation time for him “.
“Everyone at Spire Motorsports is motivated and committed to putting a lot of effort into Mike for Watkins Glen and Charlotte’s Roval.”
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