Joey Hand Bio
Joseph Alan Hand (born February 10, 1979) is an American professional racing driver who competes in sports car racing as a Ford factory driver. A versatile and enduring talent, Hand has built a career that spans open-wheel ladder series, Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series (ALMS) sports car competition, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), and stock car racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is best known for winning the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona with Chip Ganassi Racing, the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring GT class with BMW Team Rahal, and the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans LMGTE Pro class with Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA in the Ford GT. Over more than two decades, Hand has established himself as one of the most respected American endurance and prototype drivers of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Joseph Alan Hand was born on February 10, 1979, in Sacramento, California, where he grew up and first developed his passion for motorsports. He began his career in kart racing at the age of 12, a common entry point for future professional drivers. The structured world of karting helped him develop the race craft, car control, and discipline that would shape his transition toward open-wheel and sports car competition.
As a teenager, Hand continued to refine his skills through regional karting events before climbing into formula cars. His upbringing in Northern California placed him within reach of West Coast road racing circuits, an environment that fostered his early preference for road and endurance racing over oval competition. That foundation would later influence his shift toward sports car and prototype racing.
Path to NASCAR
Hand’s path to NASCAR was unconventional, arriving late after a long and successful career in sports cars. His open-wheel résumé began in the Star Mazda Series in 1998, where he won nine races, captured the 1998 Rookie of the Year award, and claimed the series championship in 1999. He then advanced to the Toyota Atlantic Championship for 2001 to 2004, posting two wins and a best championship result of third in 2001, while also earning the 2001 Toyota Atlantic Rookie of the Year honor.
From 2004 onward, Hand concentrated on endurance racing, winning five times in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT class aboard BMW machinery. He became a consistent contender in the American Le Mans Series, collecting a class win at the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring and multiple podiums. On October 5, 2021, Rick Ware Racing announced that Hand would make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, opening a stock car chapter in his already distinguished career.
Joey Hand Career
Early Career (1998-2003)
Hand launched his professional career in the Star Mazda Series in 1998, dominating immediately with nine wins and the 1998 Rookie of the Year title before securing the 1999 Star Mazda Series championship. He also received the 2000 Team USA Scholarship, an important recognition for promising American open-wheel talents. An injury forced him to miss most of the 2000 season, but he returned to competition in 2001.
That year, Hand moved up to the Toyota Atlantic Championship, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2001 and finished third in the standings. Across three seasons in the series, he recorded two wins and built the open-wheel foundation that would later support his transition to professional sports car racing.
Grand-Am and ALMS Breakthrough (2004-2015)
Beginning in 2004, Hand became a regular in the Grand American Road Racing Association’s Rolex Sports Car Series, racing in both the Grand Touring and Daytona Prototype classes. He won five Rolex Series GT races driving BMWs and added an American Le Mans Series pole at Road America in 2009, the first BMW pole in the series in eight years. In 2011, Hand co-drove the #01 Riley-BMW with Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, and Graham Rahal to win the 24 Hours of Daytona for Chip Ganassi Racing.
That same year, he also won the GT class at the 12 Hours of Sebring with BMW Motorsport and finished third in the GTE-Pro class at Le Mans in a BMW M3. In 2012, Hand returned to BMW Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, where he again won the GT class at Sebring and took three podiums from seven ALMS starts. He continued to race in the newly formed United SportsCar Championship in 2014, finishing second in GTLM at Daytona and third at Sebring for BMW Rahal.
Ford Le Mans Era (2016-2017)
In 2016, Hand joined the Ford factory program for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Paired with Dirk Müller and Sébastien Bourdais, the trio won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMGTE Pro class, driving the 2017 Ford GT for Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA. The victory marked the first overall Le Mans class win for Ford since 1966’s legendary 1-2-3 finish, giving Hand one of the most significant results of his career.
NASCAR Cup Series (2021-2024)
On October 5, 2021, Rick Ware Racing announced that Hand would make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, where he started 36th and finished 27th in the No. 52. In 2022, Hand drove all six Cup road course events for Rick Ware Racing in the No. 15, with a best finish of 20th at Sonoma and a best starting position of ninth at Road America. His best season result to date is 34th in 2022, and his only Cup top-ten came during the 2024 Grant Park 165 in Chicago.
On June 12, 2024, it was announced that Hand would drive the No. 60 for RFK Racing in the Chicago Street Race. He won the second stage for his first career stage win in the NASCAR Cup Series, led seven laps, and nearly won the race before being passed by eventual winner Alex Bowman. He finished the 2024 season ranked 39th in the standings.
BMW Team RBM Era (2012-Present)
On December 15, 2011, Hand was announced as one of BMW’s factory drivers for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, becoming the first American to hold a full-season factory contract in the series since its inception in 1984. He ran the full 2012 DTM championship alongside a limited ALMS campaign with BMW Team RLL, posting a best race result of fifth at Brands Hatch and a best championship finish of 12th in 2013.
Hand is listed with BMW Team RBM, car number 4, as a current DTM entry. Across his DTM career, he has made 27 starts with one fastest lap recorded. His endurance and DTM experience have continued to complement his ongoing NASCAR and sports car commitments.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hand is widely regarded as a smooth, consistent, and technically precise driver who excels on road and street circuits. His background in prototype and GT racing gives him a strong feel for tire management, fuel strategy, and long-run pace, all of which translate well to NASCAR road course events. His partnership with established teams such as BMW Team RBM, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA reflects a reputation for clear feedback and professional race management.
Notable Races and Milestones
Hand’s signature results include the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona overall win, the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring GT class victory, and the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans LMGTE Pro class triumph in the Ford GT. He is also remembered for his 2024 Chicago Street Race performance, where he won a stage, led laps, and narrowly missed his first Cup Series victory. His 1999 Star Mazda Series championship and 2001 Team USA Scholarship round out a résumé that bridges multiple eras of American motorsport.
Joey Hand Career Wins
Joey Hand’s career win list reflects a versatile resume that includes major endurance victories, an open-wheel championship, and consistent top-tier finishes across multiple disciplines. His sports car wins are anchored by three of the most prestigious races in the world: the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Sports Car Highlights
Hand co-won the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona in the Daytona Prototype class with Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, and Graham Rahal for Chip Ganassi Racing. He added GT class wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring in both 2011 and 2012, the second with BMW Team Rahal. His crowning endurance achievement came at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he, Dirk Müller, and Sébastien Bourdais won the LMGTE Pro class in the Ford GT for Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA. He also recorded five Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT wins earlier in his career.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond endurance racing, Hand captured the 1999 Star Mazda Series championship with nine wins and the 1998 Star Mazda Rookie of the Year award. He added two wins and a best championship finish of third in the 2001 Toyota Atlantic Championship, where he was also named Rookie of the Year. In DTM, Hand did not record a victory but posted a best result of fifth at Brands Hatch and a best championship finish of 12th in 2013.
Joey Hand Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Joey Hand was born and raised in Sacramento, California, where his early karting years laid the foundation for a long professional career. Public sources do not detail his parents’ involvement in racing, and no multi-generational racing lineage is documented.
Personal Life
Hand and his wife, Natalie, have two children. He continues to balance his family life with commitments across sports car and stock car racing, and he remains active on social media, where he shares updates from the road.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Joey Hand remains a Ford factory driver while expanding his NASCAR presence. He made his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at the 2025 Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland, an appearance that signals continued growth in stock car competition. Listed in the 60th position in early 2025 O’Reilly Series standings, he is using road course starts to gain experience at the second-tier national level.
Hand is also continuing his association with BMW Team RBM in DTM, carrying car number 4, while serving as an experienced sports car and endurance resource for the Ford factory program. His mix of road course savvy and prototype background positions him well for additional NASCAR and international endurance opportunities throughout 2025.
The 2025 outlook for Hand centers on steady progress in NASCAR, including a likely focus on road and street course events, and continued factory duties with Ford and BMW. With a deep résumé and a proven ability to deliver in long-distance races, Hand remains a valuable asset across multiple championships as the season unfolds.
