When people around here talk about car racin’, it usually means NASCAR.
But Roy Carroll, the president and owner of The Carroll Companies, is bringing an entirely different kind of racin’ to First National Bank Field in downtown Greensboro this summer and, to be clear, unlike NASCAR in The Coliseum in Los Angeles, no cars will be racing on the Grasshoppers home turf. But on June 11 and June 12, Carroll is inviting the community to First Bank Field to watch a live broadcast of the Bee Safe Le Mans team race in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Carroll said that the plan is to have the ballpark open to the public free of charge, and added, “We would encourage people and families to come to the park, bring sleeping bags and watch the race overnight in the park. The Carroll Companies would provide food and beverages.”
Le Mans is considered one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world and the winner is not the car that crosses the finish line first, but the car that has traveled the farthest in 24 hours, which means it’s a race of not just speed but endurance.
Bee Safe Storage and Wine Cellars, one of The Carroll Companies, which also owns this publication, is sponsoring the Bee Safe Le Mans Team.
The Ferrari 488 GT LM being built for the Le Mans race is scheduled to be completed in April, which, according to Carroll, is a tight deadline for a race in June.
In an email, Carroll said, “We want this car to be locally embraced as the ‘Greensboro Le Mans’ car. This is the first time (that I know of) that a Greensboro car has entered the Le Mans race.”
Carroll drives in the Ferrari Challenge series, but for Le Mans 24 Hours has enlisted three professional drivers, Shane Van Gisbergen, Sam Bird and Filipe Fraga.
Never mind those “professional drivers” – Austin Morris finds that he is available on Le Mans weekend!
If Roy expects victory he knows how to reach me…
I do hope the motor has a clutch pedal. I’m rather old school, I’m afraid.
Good for Roy, didn’t know he is a racer. I did that 20 or so years ago hustling a Nissan 300zx around in the SCCA sanctioned Improved Touring Sports class Endurance Series for a couple of seasons. Most exhilarating thing I ever did clothed. What he’s doing in the Ferrari Challenge series would be great fun where you race against a bunch of A type personalities, no professional drivers, that can afford to do it. I’ll plan on being at the ball park for that, thanks for the invite.
It’s awesome to this type race to be run in Greensboro, I live in Florida but will plan to make the trip to watch this 24 hour race. Roy Carroll was a high school friend, one of the Falcons!! Glad to see Roy and his company sponcer this event. Good Luck Roy! Hammer Down!!
Team Corvette for me, but I respect all who compete.
I run my Z06 with NASA Mid-Atlantic.
LeMans is the most prestigious race in the world.