Joey Hand, who Ford Performance has tapped to be the test driver for its upcoming Ford Mustang GT3, will return to IMSA-sanctioned competition at the Detroit Grand Prix. The Le Mans winner will partner Jenson Altzman in a Ford Mustang GT4 entered by McCumbee McAleer Racing with AEROSPORT.

Hand will replace Chad McCumbee in the Michelin Pilot Challenge race due to a scheduling conflict faced by McCumbee.

“I’m super excited to get back into a GT4 Ford Mustang,” Hand said. “It’s cool to come to a new venue, it might give us a little bit of an advantage, as everyone has to learn the track the same. I have subbed in for Chad before and it went pretty well.”

Alongside his testing duties with Ford, Hand competed in five NASCAR Cup Series races with Rick Ware Racing in 2022, all of them on road courses. His best finish was a 20th at Sonoma.

“I know a lot of the crew members on the team, so we will be getting up to speed really quickly. I am thankful for Chad and Ford Performance for giving me the call to come and drive. It is always great to strap into a Ford Mustang GT4 and go racing,” Hand said.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will not be on the ticket at the Detroit Grand Prix as many of that series’ competitors prepare for Le Mans. The Michelin Pilot Challenge Series will thus carry the IMSA banner as the undercard to the NTT IndyCar Series.