Joey Hand
A versatile American racer who became a cornerstone of Ford's modern GT program, conquering the world's toughest endurance classics.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American racing driver·Birthday: February 10·Generation X
Biography
Joey Hand represents the blue-collar racer who earned every opportunity through sheer speed and relentless work ethic. Hailing from California, he cut his teeth in open-wheel formulas before finding his true calling in sports car racing's grueling endurance events. His breakthrough with Chip Ganassi Racing established him as a driver who could extract maximum performance from any machine, whether a Daytona Prototype or a GT car. Hand's legacy became inextricably linked with Ford's ambitious return to Le Mans. As a factory driver in the multimillion-dollar GT program, he was part of the historic 2016 victory that echoed the company's 1966 triumph, a full-circle moment achieved through precision driving and mechanical sympathy over 24 brutal hours.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Joey was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Joey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-drove the winning Ford GT at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMGTE Pro class.
- Won the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona overall in a Chip Ganassi Racing Riley-BMW prototype.
- Secured the GT class victory at the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring driving a BMW M3 GT for Rahal Letterman Lanigan.
- Is a former champion of the Star Mazda Series (now Pro Mazda Championship) in 1999.
Did You Know?
He is an avid cyclist and often uses long bike rides as part of his training regimen.
Hand drove the actual 1966 Le Mans-winning Ford GT40 in demonstration runs prior to the 2016 race.
He co-owns a karting facility in Sacramento, California, called 'Simraceway Performance Driving Center'.
His father, Joe Hand Sr., was a professional motocross racer.
“At Le Mans, you're not just racing the other cars, you're racing the track, the clock, and yourself for a full day.”
