Corvette at LeMans?

Le Mans 2011: The Chevy Corvette Faces Its Toughest Challenge Yet

Located 90 minutes outside of Paris via high-speed rail, Circuit de la Sarthe is home to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, firing up this weekend. In this day-long torture test of incredible machines, we're watching the sole American entry: the Chevy Corvette that's trying to beat the big boys of Europe.

24 Hours of Le Mans

The 24 Hours of Le Mans holds a special place in the world of motorsports. The Circuit de la Sarthe is so huge that it easily accommodates up 300,000 spectators from across Europe. The atmosphere is carnival-like, but the bread, cheese and wine is superior (akin to eating bratwurst at Road America). The rivalries and history are what make the action so special at Le Mans. In the 1920s, it was Bentley versus Bugatti versus Alfa Romeo. Jumping to the 1960s, it was Ford versus Ferrari. Porsche dominated the 1970s, fending off challenges from Renault and Matra-Simca. Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Mazda duked it out through the '80s and early '90s, with McClaren and Panoz shaking things up after that.

Read more: Le Mans 2011 - The Chevy Corvette Faces Its Toughest Challenge Yet - Popular Mechanics