Le Mans winner tapped to drive for RFK Racing in Chicago Street Race

2016 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand will pilot the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing on the streets of Chicago, making his first NASCAR Cup Series start since 2022. 

Hand made one NASCAR Cup Series start in 2021 at the Charlotte Roval, wheeling the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing car to a 27th place finish at Charlotte. In 2022, Hand was tapped to drive all six road course races for Ware, putting forth respectable 20th- and 21st-place efforts at Sonoma and Road America, respectively. 

Hand likely won't be in contention for the win in Chicago, but putting a veteran road-course ace in top-tier equipment always makes for a fun show. Chicago will be the third race for RFK Racing's "Stage 60" car, which debuted in the season-opening Daytona 500. David Ragan piloted the car in the Great American Race, wheeling the No. 60 to a 20th-place finish after being in the mix during the closing laps. 

At Sonoma, it was Australian Supercars star Cam Waters who took the reins of the No. 60 car, though mechanical issues plagued his day and relegated him to a 35th-place finish in his Cup Series debut. 

If RFK can keep the gremlins out of the engine and transmission of the No. 60 car in Chicago, Hand will likely have a chance for his best run yet in the Cup Series, as RFK is miles ahead of the aforementioned Rick Ware team. 

Hand will see the green flag in the Chicago Street Race with the rest of the field just after 4:30 p.m. ET on July 7. The race will be broadcast on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.