As part of your ACO USA membership you’re invited to join Evening With A Legend, a series of presentations exclusive to ACO USA Members where a Legend of the famous 24 Hours of LeMans race will share stories and highlights of the big event. (Be sure to check out previous Legends of Le Mans you might have missed).
Featured Guests
MARCH 2026: Mark Raffauf
Wednesday March 25th, 2026, 7pm EST / 4pm PST
Mark Raffauf has been part of the fabric of American endurance racing for more than five decades — a steady hand in the chaos, a strategist in the storm, and one of the few people who can say they’ve lived IMSA from its early, scrappy beginnings to its modern global stature. Joining the organization in 1974, he’s now the Senior Director of Competition, and his understanding of how rules, philosophies, and politics evolve between IMSA, Grand-Am, ALMS, WEC, and the ACO gives him a rare, panoramic view of the sport. We'll chat with Mark to explore how endurance racing has changed, what unites the paddocks on both sides of the Atlantic, and what the future looks like as IMSA and WEC move toward unprecedented alignment.
APRIL 2026: Charles Mendez
Wednesday April 29th, 2026, 7pm EST / 4pm PST
Charles Mendez's Le Mans résumé is brief but memorable: he made two starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, first in 1980 with Racing Associates in a Porsche 935 and again in 1981 with WM in a Peugeot P79/80; both of which are machinery that embodied the privateer spirit of the era. Though he never claimed a class win or overall podium, Charles delivered a best overall finish of 13th and earned a class podium once, demonstrating consistency and resilience across 317 laps of competition. His Le Mans efforts sit alongside a broader legacy in American endurance racing—most notably his later role as a Sebring 12 Hours winner and promoter—making him one of those quietly influential figures who bridged grassroots racing passion with top‑tier international endurance events.
Host: Crew Chief Eric
Evening with a Legend is hosted by Crew Chief Eric from Gran Touring Motorsports, the host of Break/Fix podcast part of the Motoring Podcast Network. An avid Motorsports Enthusiast, Racer, and Coach. He hosts the wildly successful Break/Fix Podcast with over 350 episodes in its catalog. Break/Fix is all about capturing the living history of people from all over the autosphere. From wrench turners, to artists, authors, racers, designers and everything in between. Their goal is to inspire a new generation of petrol-heads that wonder ”How did they get that job? or Become that person?”
Sign-up to attend an upcoming Evening with a Legend session
NOTE: If you are a member of the Society of Automotive Historians (SAH) or the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) enter IMRRC; If you are a member of Women in Motorsports North America enter WIMNA in the ACO Member Number area on the registration form below.
Note: You will receive your session connection information 24-48 hours before the actual event. Please check your inboxes (and spam folders) for that information.
| By submitting this form you acknowledge and consent to be contacted about future Evening With A Legend events, and can opt-out at any time from those email notifications. Additionally, submitting this form is also consent to be part of a recorded session where celebrities of the of 24 Hours of LeMans will be presenting. Question & Answer will be handled through the live chat system during the event; and the audience is not required to speak or be present on camera. |
Membership into the Automobile Club de l’Ouest – the founder and organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – is open to all! The Club hosts events in Le Mans and around the world, attracting fans who enjoy their shared passion for motoring and motor racing. Tired of sitting in the pits. Explore the many advantages of becoming an ACO Member today!
