Former BMW factory driver Joey Hand was a surprise omission from the German manufacturer’s racing plans in 2015. The Californian recently completed his third season representing BMW in the DTM series, and had been expected to either continue in the silhouette championship, or return to America and compete with BMW Team RLL in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

Hand has been silent on his upcoming plans, barring a tweet on the subject: “Tough decision to leave BMW, been a great run with awesome teams but really excited about my new program and the future!”

Multiple sources have confirmed Hand is headed from BMW to Ford and its key partner Chip Ganassi Racing as the American manufacturer ramps up its sports car endeavors for 2015 and beyond. Reached by phone on Monday, a Ganassi representative was unable to comment on the topic and calls to Ford and Hand were not immediately returned.

The 35-year-old Hand (RIGHT), who has an extensive background racing and developing junior open-wheel cars and GT machinery, is set to race for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates next season in the team’s No. 01 Ford EcoBoost Daytona Prototype. Hand will partner with fellow Sacramento-area native Scott Pruett to form an all-American lineup for Ford.

News on the team’s full TUDOR Championship plans, including endurance drivers for the No. 01, is said to be imminent.

RACER has also learned longtime Ganassi sports car driver Memo Rojas will not be part of the program next season. The Mexican’s rise alongside Pruett was one of the more compelling storylines since he and sponsor Telcel joined the Ganassi team in 2007. Under Pruett’s tutelage, the 33-year-old Rojas became a steady threat in Daytona Prototypes, and earned four DP championships between 2008 and 2012.

2014 served as the first season for the Ganassi-Ford partnership in the TUDOR Championship and was highlighted by wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Long Beach, and Circuit of The Americas. With the departure of Rojas, a new sponsor is expected to replace Telcel.

The Ganassi team has pursued funding to run a second full-time EcoBoost DP but, other than fielding an additional car at some of the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup races, the team will reportedly run a single entry during the 10-round TUDOR Championship calendar.

Hand impressed the Ganassi team in 2011 when he co-drove the winning Riley-BMW Daytona Prototype (LEFT) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and established a bond with the team that evolved into a new, post-BMW relationship. Hand is also expected to play a significant role with the Blue Oval as the legendary brand prepares for an international racing program that could debut in 2016.

Developing a GTE-based Ford could be among the primary responsibilities given to Hand going forward.

After rising through the open-wheel ranks and seeing his career stall prior to reaching Champ Car, Hand joined BMW in 2006 and quickly built a reputation as one of the fastest and most dogged racers on its roster. 2011 marked Hand’s most successful season to date where he won the Rolex 24, then added a win six weeks later at the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring for BMW in the ALMS GT category.

By the end of the year, he and co-driver Dirk Muller claimed the ALMS GT Drivers’ title before Hand embarked on his DTM opportunity with BMW.

The acquisition of Hand would provide Ganassi with a road map for its future in sports car racing. Pruett, who turns 55 next year, wants to race for one or two more years, and with Hand in a position to take the torch from Pruett when he retires, the team appears to have the makings of a new foundation with Hand.

Along with 19-year-old open-wheel and sports car phenom Sage Karam, Ganassi now has three of America’s finest or most promising road racers under contract.

Rumors of other projects in the works by Ford could also fit Hand’s background as a Global Racing Engine is reportedly under development. Whether a Ford GRE would move beyond the development phase or stays behind the scenes is unknown, but provided it does emerge, a GRE would fit the new path taken by the DTM and Japan’s Super GT category and the future direction for the P2 class.