Hand, 45, has each a category victory and an total victory within the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race. Though an skilled street racer, NASCAR remains to be pretty new to him.
On Sunday, he was making simply his eighth profession Cup Collection begin. He was driving a part-time entry for RFK Racing, referred to as Stage 60. There was little buzz round Hand, who certified thirty eighth. However when rain hit the observe and threw the race into full chaos, Hand and the No. 60 staff have been capable of capitalize in an enormous means.
He was already pretty excessive within the working order on advantage alone, however selected to remain out with getting older moist tires on a drying observe whereas a majority of the sphere selected to pit. He truly received the second stage, and was main within the last 20 minutes of the race.
Though he put up a valiant battle, he couldn’t fend off the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Alex Bowman. Whereas Bowman went on to say victory, Hand ended up ending fourth. It was nonetheless a large accomplishment for the veteran sports activities automobile driver. His greatest Cup end earlier than Sunday was a twentieth place end at Sonoma Raceway in 2022.
Joey Hand, RFK Racing, BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang
Picture by: Danny Hansen / NKP / Motorsport Photos
“It was an ideal day,” mentioned Hand post-race. “I’m all grins. That was quite a lot of enjoyable. It’s enjoyable when you’ve a automobile that’s going ahead. RFK, this Stage 60 automobile and this group of fellows and gals was superior. We had such a great time collectively. We didn’t qualify effectively however I informed them that we have been means higher than that. I laid in mattress final evening and dreamt about driving to the entrance.
“It was quite a lot of enjoyable. I like these circumstances the place everybody has to discover a totally different means and it isn’t set in stone what you will do. I’ve received quite a lot of races like that in my life. I assumed there was an opportunity was going to win one other one which was going to be large. To run fourth, beginning thirty eighth, with this automobile, it was a ton of enjoyable.
“What are you able to say? We went to the entrance and I’m joyful about it.”
Hand ended up main a complete of seven laps and was the top-placing Ford driver within the ending order. Earlier this yr, RFK ran the Stage 60 entry at Sonoma with Supercars star Cam Waters, who completed thirty fifth after getting collected in a crash. Additionally they ran the automobile within the season-opening Daytona 500 with David Ragan, who completed twentieth.
