"The driving at Le Mans is not the big thing," says Mika Salo. "It’s that you don’t get much rest in between the driving."

The numbers from Le Mans grow more and more staggering each year. On a circuit that measures 8.3 miles, the average lap speeds for prototypes are in excess of 150 mph. And the winning Audi R10 TDI raced for 381 laps and more than 3,220 miles in a 24-hour span. Yes, it’s the ultimate test of both man and machine.