Button certified eighth for the inaugural occasion on the downtown streets of Chicago, considered one of three races he contested in a Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang. He was categorized 21st within the race after being pushed right into a spin in blended climate circumstances.
Button returns to full-time competitors in sportscar racing in 2024, making his debut within the Daytona 24 Hours with Acura this weekend earlier than embarking on a full season with Jota in a buyer Porsche 963.
When requested by Motorsport.com whether or not he’d scratched his NASCAR itch, Button stated: “Nicely, no, as a result of we by no means received that outcome.
“It was annoying as a result of a few occasions we have been fast. We simply didn’t get that outcome, so it was irritating.
“I used to be requested to do a race this yr in a extremely good automobile, however I simply can’t. There’s a lot racing to be executed and I’m additionally doing TV work with Sky nonetheless, and issues with different sponsors, so it’s sufficient this yr.”
However when pushed if he may come again to it in future, he replied: “In the event that they nonetheless wish to have me! Mobil 1 supplied me the drive this yr, so that they’re searching for different choices, however I couldn’t do the one they supplied me [Chicago] as I’m on the British Grand Prix.”
Photograph by: Lesley Ann Miller / Motorsport Pictures
Jenson Button, Rick Ware Racing, Mobil 1 Ford Mustang
After calling time on his full-time racing profession after a profitable Tremendous GT marketing campaign in 2019, the 2009 Method 1 world champion raced sporadically throughout British GT, Goodwood Revival, Nitro Rallycross, Excessive E and NASCAR.
Button says it was his Storage 56 expertise on the Le Mans 24 Hours – when Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports introduced a modified NASCAR Camaro for him, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller – that fired his want to race extra typically and has raised his reputation in American motorsport paddocks.
“It’s humorous truly,” he stated. “Half of the followers who ask for an image may have a photograph of me in a NASCAR. Which is kinda cool. I believe the NASCAR stuff, I did couple of races they usually may need seen me, however it’s largely the Storage 56, as a result of they respect us for taking it to Europe – so I get a variety of love.
“The opposite half of the time, it’s F1 images or this automobile.”
Button stated {that a} swap from WEC to the IMSA SportsCar Championship in future was unlikely.
“I don’t wish to be leaping round now,” he stated. “I’m 44, I don’t wish to be racing for a lot of extra years – so I’m absolutely on it for what I wish to obtain within the subsequent couple of years.
“I’ve tried every thing, Trophy Vans, a GT3 race, I did a great deal of enjoyable issues, however you at all times come again to what you’re good at.
“So I believe I’m going to be doing WEC for the subsequent couple of years.”
