Denny Hamlin

James Dennis Alan Hamlin (born November 18, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also co-owns and operates 23XI Racing with basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.

As a driver, Hamlin has achieved a total of 57 NASCAR Cup Series victories. His notable wins include the Coca-Cola 600 in 2022, the Southern 500 in 2010, 2017, and 2021, and the Daytona 500 in 2016, 2019, and 2020. He is also the fourth driver in history to win the Daytona 500 in back-to-back seasons, joining the ranks of Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Sterling Marlin, and William Byron.

Hamlin holds the record for the most wins in the NASCAR Cup Series without winning a championship. Despite not securing the elusive title, he has consistently been a strong contender throughout his career. With the exception of the 2013 season, Hamlin has competed in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in every full-time season (18 seasons as of 2024). In 2013, a collision with Joey Logano severely damaged his lower back, sidelining him for a significant portion of the early season. Hamlin's rookie season in 2006 was particularly impressive, as he finished third in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings, marking one of the most remarkable rookie campaigns in modern NASCAR history.

Driving career

Beginnings

Hamlin was born in Tampa, Florida, and spent most of his childhood in Chesterfield Court House, Virginia. He began his racing career at the age of 7 in 1988, racing go-karts. By 1997, at 15, he had won the WKA Manufacturers Cup. At 16, he started racing mini stocks, and in his first stock car race at Langley Speedway, he not only secured the pole position but also won the race. Hamlin progressed to the Grand Stock division in 1998 and moved on to Late Model Stock Cars in 2000. In 2002, he achieved ten Late Model victories, surpassing that with 25 wins and 30 poles out of 36 races in 2003. In 2004, while competing full-time in Late Model Stock Cars, he signed a driver development contract with Joe Gibbs Racing.

NASCAR career

2004–2006

In 2004, Hamlin competed in five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races with EJP Racing, achieving a tenth-place finish in his debut at IRP. He then made his first ARCA RE/MAX Series start at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing third in the No. 10 Pontiac for Fast Track Racing, owned by Andy Hillenburg. Hamlin's final race of the year was at Darlington Raceway, where he made his Busch Series debut. Starting twenty-seventh due to a rainout, he finished eighth in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven Performance Oil Chevrolet.

In 2005, Hamlin ran the full 2005 season in the Busch Series after replacing Mike Bliss in the No. 20 Rockwell Automation-sponsored Chevrolet. As a rookie, he finished fifth in the final championship points standings, achieving 11 Top 10 finishes and earning $1,064,110 ($ Today) Hamlin also made his debut in the Nextel Cup Series, driving the No. 11 FedEx-sponsored Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway. He was announced as the full-time driver for the No. 11 car for the 2006 season after Jason Leffler was released. In his seven Cup starts that year, he secured three Top 10 finishes and one pole position at Phoenix.

In 2006, Hamlin completed his first full season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series while also competing full-time in the Busch Series. In his inaugural restrictor-plate race as a Nextel Cup driver, he won the 70-lap Budweiser Shootout, defeating all the previous year's pole winners and becoming the first Rookie of the Year candidate to win the event. Hamlin secured his first career Busch Series victory at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on March 5. On June 11, 2006, he earned his first Cup Series win at the Pocono 500, where he also achieved his second career pole. Hamlin followed this with a second win on July 23 in the Pennsylvania 500, also at Pocono Raceway, making him only the second rookie in Nextel Cup history to sweep both races at a track in the same season (the first being Jimmie Johnson at Dover Downs International Speedway in 2002), with both victories coming from pole position. Hamlin won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award and finished third in the final Cup standings, achieving the highest points finish for a rookie in the modern era of NASCAR, and the best since James Hylton in 1966. Notably, he became the first rookie to qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup, finishing third in points.

2007–2008

in 2007, Hamlin began the 2007 Cup season with a 28th-place finish in the Daytona 500. He achieved his third career Cup victory at the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire. However, he finished 43rd in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona after getting involved in an early wreck, marking the first 43rd-place finish of his career. Hamlin clinched a spot in the Chase for the Cup, earning the sixth seed with a 50-point deficit to the leader, but ultimately finished 12th overall in the final standings. In the Nationwide Series, Hamlin achieved three victories, winning races at Darlington, Michigan, and Dover while driving the No. 20 Rockwell Automation Chevy. He also secured a victory at Milwaukee, although Aric Almirola started the race and drove for 60 laps before handing the car over to Hamlin. As a result, Almirola received the points, purse, and credit for the win.

In 2008, Hamlin had a season similar to the previous year, finishing eighth in points and winning early in the season at Martinsville. At Richmond, He led 381 out of 410 laps in the 2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400, showcasing one of the most dominant performances by a driver since 2000, but ultimately finished 24th after cutting a tire. Additionally, he won four races in the Nationwide Series, driving both the No. 18 and No. 20 cars for Gibbs, as well as the No. 32 Dollar General/ Hass Avocados-sponsored car for Braun Racing.

2009: 4-win season

In 2009, He continued driving the No. 11 car in The Sprint Cup Series and also shared the No. 20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series. On August 3, 2009, Hamlin secured his fifth career Cup win at Pocono. Before the final restart, he confidently declared, "I'm going to win this race." True to his word, he surged from sixth to first, breaking a 50-race winless streak. This victory marked his third at Pocono and was especially emotional, as it came just days after the passing of his grandmother, Thelma Clark.

Hamlin dominated once again at Richmond, finally securing a win at his home track. On October 25, 2009, he held off Jimmie Johnson to win the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. He concluded the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a victory at the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway starting from the 38th position and led 70 laps. This capped off his year with an impressive 5th place finish in the overall standings, achieving 4 wins, 15 top-5 finishes, and 20 top-10 finishes.

2010: 8-win season and runner-up in points

In 2010, Hamlin entered the season with high expectations, and many saw him as a strong contender to unseat Jimmie Johnson as the Sprint Cup Champion. However, on January 22, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee while playing basketball. Despite the injury, Hamlin postponed surgery until after the season to focus on competing. On March 27, he announced that he would undergo knee surgery the following Monday to prevent further damage.

On March 29, 2010, Hamlin won the rain-postponed race at Martinsville Speedway in dramatic fashion, finishing ahead of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon. Just two days later, he underwent knee surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee. Despite the setback, Hamlin returned to racing on April 19, 2010, just three weeks after the procedure. Starting from 28th at Texas, he worked his way up through the field and, with 13 laps remaining, restarted in 2nd place. Hamlin passed Jeff Burton on the outside and held off Jimmie Johnson to secure his 10th career win and his second victory in three races.

Less than three weeks later, on May 8, Hamlin visited Victory Lane for the third time in 2010 at Darlington Raceway. He had a dominant weekend, winning both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series events. Hamlin became the first driver to sweep both races at Darlington since Mark Martin in 1993. Hamlin began in 8th position at Saturday night's Showtime Southern 500, leading 108 laps to secure the victory. A few races later, he dominated the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 Presented by Target at Pocono Raceway, leading the most laps and earning his 12th career win, his fourth of the season, and his fourth at Pocono. The following week, Hamlin set a career-high with his fifth win of the season, triumphing at Michigan after starting 7th.

Later in the 2010 season, Hamlin finished 43rd in the Emory Healthcare 500 at Atlanta, dropping five positions in the Chase standings to 10th overall. Despite the setback, the top 10 drivers in the Chase were locked in after Atlanta, ensuring Hamlin's spot in the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup. In the first Chase race, Carl Edwards' driver error caused Hamlin to spin with 85 laps remaining. As several cars ahead ran out of fuel, Hamlin narrowly lost to Clint Bowyer.

In the AAA 400 at Dover, Hamlin finished 9th, retaining the points lead by 35 over Jimmie Johnson. The following week at Kansas, Hamlin struggled with a difficult-handling car and finished 12th, which cost him the points lead. Jimmie Johnson, who finished 2nd, took an 8-point advantage. The next week at California, Hamlin managed a top-10 finish but continued to lose ground to Johnson’s No. 48 team. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin led a lap—his first lead in the Chase—finishing 4th, one spot behind points leader Jimmie Johnson, which cost him 5 points. However, he achieved a significant triumph at Martinsville Speedway, securing his series-leading seventh victory of the season. This victory marked Hamlin's third consecutive win at Martinsville and his fourth overall at the historic track, narrowing the points gap to just 6 behind Jimmie Johnson, who finished 5th.

Next up was the Amp Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Denny Hamlin started in 17th place and worked his way up to finish 9th, two spots behind points leader Jimmie Johnson. This result put Hamlin 8 points further behind in the standings, totaling 14 points. He then won the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, taking the lead in the standings by 33 points over Johnson with two races remaining. At Phoenix, Hamlin started 14th but finished 12th. After the race, he was furious and threw a water bottle in frustration because he had to pit with 14 laps to go due to a fuel shortage. With one race left, Hamlin led Johnson by 15 points and was 46 points ahead of Kevin Harvick. However, in the Final race, he lost the lead to Johnson after spinning out and ultimately finished 14th, ending up 39 points behind Johnson.

2011

In 2011, Denny Hamlin nearly won the Budweiser Shootout, but the victory was denied when Kurt Busch passed him after Hamlin crossed the yellow line in turn four while attempting to overtake Ryan Newman.

Hamlin struggled in the first eight races, with his only top-10 finish being a seventh place at Las Vegas. However, he turned things around at Richmond, where he won both his charity event and the Nationwide race, finishing second to teammate Kyle Busch. After finishing outside the top 10 at Dover, he rebounded with top finishes of 10th and 3rd at Charlotte and Kansas, respectively.

After his third-place finish at Kansas, he climbed to 11th in points, just 1 point shy of 10th place, as the series headed to his favorite track, Pocono. A win there would have tied him for the most all-time victories at the track. However, after a disappointing 19th-place finish, he moved on to Michigan, where he had previously secured a 1st and 2nd place finish in 2010. Before the first practice at Michigan, NASCAR confiscated unapproved sumps from the three Joe Gibbs Racing teams, including Hamlin's. After showing signs of mediocrity during practices and qualifying, Hamlin secured the 10th position in the field. This victory propelled him from 12th in the standings—where he would have been at risk of being replaced in the Chase by Jeff Gordon—to 9th, guaranteeing him a spot in the Chase.

At the end of the season, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Mike Ford would not return as Hamlin's crew chief for the 2012 season.

2012: New crew chief and 5 win season

In 2012, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Darian Grubb would replace Mike Ford as Hamlin's crew chief for the season. Grubb had previously served as Tony Stewart's crew chief, guiding Stewart to his third Sprint Cup title in 2011.

Hamlin earned his first win of the year in the second race at Phoenix. On April 22, 2012, he secured his second victory at Kansas, outlasting Martin Truex Jr. He claimed his third win at Bristol on August 26 in the Irwin Tools Night Race. A week later, Hamlin became the first driver of the year to earn back-to-back wins, defeating Truex again at the AdvoCare 500 in Atlanta. Two weeks later, he dominated the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, winning from a 32nd-place start.

2013: Missing the Chase and feud with Joey Logano

In 2013, Hamlin's season began on a rough note with crashes in both the Sprint Unlimited and the Budweiser Duel. The accident in the Duel forced him to use a backup car for the Daytona 500, where he started 35th, led 33 laps, and finished 14th. He showed improvement the following week with a third-place finish at Phoenix, followed by a 15th-place result in Las Vegas. At Bristol, despite leading the most laps, he ran out of fuel. Controversy arose when Hamlin spun his former teammate, Joey Logano, during a battle for position, leading to a heated exchange between the two in the garage after the race.

At Fontana, Hamlin secured his first pole of the season. On the final restart, he was in 12th place but made an impressive charge, reaching third with 12 laps remaining. He soon passed both Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch to contend for the lead alongside Joey Logano. The rivalry between Hamlin and Logano intensified as they battled side by side for the victory in the final two laps. On the white flag lap, Hamlin edged ahead entering Turn 3, but Logano drifted up the track, making contact with Hamlin. As Hamlin tried to regain control, he clipped Logano, sending Logano into the outside wall. Hamlin then crashed head-on into an inside retaining wall, while their incident allowed Hamlin's teammate, Kyle Busch, to take the win. After the crash, Hamlin climbed out of the car but immediately collapsed on the track. He was airlifted to the hospital as a precaution. While in the hospital, Hamlin interpreted Logano's post-race remarks about their battle as a sign that Logano held a grudge and had retaliated against him. The following day, it was announced that Hamlin had suffered a severe L1 Vertebral compression fracture, or collapsed vertebra. Dr. Petty, Hamlin's JGR physician, stated on Tuesday that Hamlin’s back would heal in six weeks, requiring time off from racing. To fill in for Hamlin, two part-time drivers from Michael Waltrip Racing stepped up: Mark Martin drove at Martinsville, and Brian Vickers covered four additional races.

He returned at Talladega for the Aaron's 499, telling reporters that, since he wasn’t ready to run a full race, he planned to switch with Brian Vickers during the first caution and pit stop using a special exit on the car’s roof. As planned, Hamlin swapped with Vickers on lap 23 during a caution. According to NASCAR rules, Hamlin would still receive credit for the results since he started the race. Unfortunately, Vickers was caught in a 14-car wreck on lap 43, leaving the car with a 34th-place finish.

At Darlington, Hamlin returned to racing for the first time since his injury, qualifying sixth. In the closing laps, he held off Jeff Gordon to secure a second-place finish behind teammate Matt Kenseth. At the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, Hamlin earned the pole position with a record speed of , surpassing the previous record of set by Greg Biffle. During the race, he led six laps and ultimately finished fourth. At Dover, Hamlin started from the pole for the second consecutive week and led 41 laps before cutting a tire on lap 378, which caused him to crash and finish 34th. At Pocono, he started in 17th place and showed improvement by finishing eighth.

Hamlin struggled at Michigan, Sonoma, and Kentucky, finishing 30th, 23rd, and 35th, respectively. These results left him in 25th place in the points standings, 150 points behind 20th place. Without any wins, his chances of securing a Wildcard bid for the Chase were effectively eliminated. At Daytona, Hamlin started 24th and led 20 laps before being involved in a wreck with Juan Pablo Montoya and Martin Truex Jr. Although he remained on the track a lap down and received the free pass after the next caution, disaster struck on lap 148 when he hit the tri-oval wall head-on, and his car was subsequently struck by A. J. Allmendinger, causing it to go airborne.

He crashed at Pocono on Lap 15 after losing control of his car in the third turn, jeopardizing his chances of making the Chase for the first time in his career. Although he had participated in seven races in 2005, his first appearance was during a Chase race. At Michigan, he was officially eliminated from the Chase, even if he won the next four races, due to being too far behind in the points.

At Richmond, Hamlin received an apology text from Logano regarding their incident at Auto Club, but he chose not to respond. In a later interview, Hamlin expressed his belief that Logano's message was more about wanting Hamlin to avoid interfering with his title hopes rather than genuine remorse. Nevertheless, by the following season, both Hamlin and Logano declared that their feud was over.

Despite finishing 23rd in the points standings, Hamlin had a noteworthy season, highlighted by his victory in the season finale at Homestead. He secured the win after a fierce battle with Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the final 30 laps.

2014: First Championship 4 Appearance

In 2014, Hamlin began the season on a high note by winning the pole position and leading all three segments of the Sprint Unlimited, ultimately securing victory in the race. He followed this success by winning the second Budweiser Duel. In the Daytona 500, Hamlin started in third place and led for 16 laps, emerging as a fan favorite to win and potentially sweep all three Sprint Cup events during Speedweeks. However, he was unable to overtake Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the final two laps and finished in second place.

At Auto Club, Hamlin developed a sinus infection that affected his vision just hours before the race. A half-hour before the green flag, Joe Gibbs Racing replaced him with Sam Hornish Jr., who drove Hamlin's car to a 17th-place finish. A few days later, it was revealed that the infection was caused by a piece of metal lodged in Hamlin's eye. At Talladega, Hamlin won the race after the caution flag waved during the final lap.

At the Brickyard 400, Hamlin finished third, but his No. 11 car failed post-race inspection. NASCAR impounded the vehicle for further investigation. Two days later, NASCAR suspended crew chief Darian Grubb and car chief Wesley Sherrill for six races. They fined Grubb $125,000, docked Hamlin 75 driver points, and Joe Gibbs Racing 75 owner points. Additionally, members of the No. 11 team were placed on probation until December 31, 2014. Initially, Joe Gibbs and the team considered appealing the penalties but later decided against it. In response to the penalties, Hamlin stated, "We'll just simply move forward and not let this affect our performances."

At Bristol, Hamlin seemed poised to win, leading many laps until he crashed after contact with Kevin Harvick while vying for the lead. In frustration, Hamlin angrily threw his HANS device at Harvick's car during a caution period. Some fans speculated that NASCAR should have penalized Hamlin for exiting his car before safety workers arrived, a rule instituted after the tragic incident involving Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. However, NASCAR decided against penalizing Hamlin, stating that safety workers had instructed him to exit the car via radio and allowed him to throw the device. Harvick later apologized for causing the crash on Twitter, while Hamlin indicated that his acceptance of the apology would depend on Harvick's future conduct on the track.

Despite the shortcomings of his and his team during the regular season, Hamlin managed to have a consistent Chase, securing a spot among the final four title contenders for the final round. With twenty laps to go, he was leading both the race and the championship. However, a caution came out, and Darian Grubb, his crew chief, opted not to stop for fresh tires and fuel, a decision that proved costly. Hamlin finished the race in seventh place and ended up third in the championship standings.

2015

In 2015, Hamlin began the season by starting at the rear of the field in the Budweiser Duels due to a penalty received during Daytona 500 qualifying. In the Daytona 500, he came close to winning for the second consecutive year, finishing 4th and showcasing one of the best cars throughout Speedweeks. However, at Atlanta, Hamlin finished 38th after being involved in a wreck with 42 laps remaining. He rebounded at Las Vegas, finishing 5th, but struggled at Phoenix, where he ended up in 24th place.

At California, Hamlin had one of the best cars on the track, leading 56 laps, second only to Kurt Busch's 61 laps. However, a poor pit stop and a subsequent bad restart dropped Hamlin to 13th place. He managed to rebound to 3rd with 20 laps to go, but his chances of winning were dashed when he was penalized for an uncontrolled tire during a pit stop, forcing him to the tail end of the longest line. He restarted in 29th and ultimately finished the race in 28th place.

At Martinsville, Hamlin consistently stayed within the top ten throughout the race. However, he was penalized for an uncontrolled tire late in the race, forcing him to the back of the field in 31st place. Despite this setback, he made an impressive comeback, re-entering the top ten just 50 laps later. Following a strong restart with less than 30 laps remaining, Hamlin secured his victory after fending off a challenge from rival Brad Keselowski. He edged Keselowski at the finish line by just 0.3 seconds (one car length), marking his fifth victory at Martinsville, where he led a total of 91 laps. Hamlin, who had a history of feuding with Keselowski during the 2014 Bank of America 500, praised him for not wrecking him to win the race.

During the Bristol spring race, Hamlin was replaced by Erik Jones after 22 laps due to neck spasms. in May, Hamlin secured victory in the Sprint All-Star Race by beating Brad Keselowski off pit road during the final stops. This win marked Hamlin's first All-Star victory, as well as the inaugural All-Star win for both Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.

Hamlin tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while playing basketball for the second time in his career in September and had surgery after the season ended.

After qualifying for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Denny Hamlin won the opening race at Chicagoland Speedway, securing his spot in the second round. However, during the next round at Talladega, his car roof hatch on Denny Hamlin's car came loose on lap 84 and he was forced to make an unscheduled stop to tape down the hatch. His car was involved in " The Big One," resulting in a crash and fire. This incident ultimately eliminated him from the Chase due to insufficient points to advance.

2016: First Daytona 500 Win

In 2016, With new crew chief Mike Wheeler replacing Dave Rogers, Hamlin won the Sprint Unlimited. In the Daytona 500, he passed his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth for the lead on the final lap. Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. raced side by side for the win as they crossed the start-finish line, with Hamlin—who led a race-high 95 laps—prevailing by just 0.011 seconds over Truex. This marked the closest finish in Daytona 500 history and gave team owner Joe Gibbs his first victory in the event since 1993. However, at Martinsville, Hamlin was running well until he wrecked after hitting the curb and slamming into the wall, finishing 39th. He also experienced further wrecks at Kansas and Dover.

Hamlin competed in both the Cup and Xfinity races during the Coca-Cola 600 weekend, winning the Xfinity race and finishing fourth in the main Cup event. At Michigan, he suffered a blown tire with 12 laps to go. During the Sonoma race, he led Tony Stewart late but misjudged his entry into the final corner, which nearly resulted in contact with Stewart, causing him to lose the lead and the race. Amid accusations that he intentionally let Stewart win in his final season, Hamlin clarified that it was a mistake on his part. However, he rebounded in the season's other road race at Watkins Glen, managing his fuel effectively—helped by two red flags and eight cautions—to secure his first road course win.

He secured a third win in the final race of the regular season at Richmond, starting from the pole and holding off Truex and Kyle Larson for the victory. However, his championship hopes were affected when his engine failed with 26 laps remaining at Charlotte, ultimately resulting in a sixth-place finish in the points standings.

2017: 2 win season and first feud with Chase Elliott

In 2017, Hamlin had a challenging start to the season, which featured significant changes, including the introduction of stage racing. He secured an 8th-place finish in Stage 1 of the Daytona 500 but was involved in a major crash at the end of Stage 2, triggered by a tire blowout on Kyle Busch's No. 18 Toyota Camry, ultimately finishing 17th. The difficulties continued with a disappointing race in Atlanta, where mechanical failures forced him to retire, resulting in a 38th-place classification.

Hamlin rebounded with a sixth-place finish in Las Vegas, followed by another top-10 result in Phoenix. At the STP 500 in Martinsville, a track where he is a five-time winner, he placed 2nd in Stage 1 but was set back by poor pit strategy and a subsequent wreck, finishing the race in 30th.

Hamlin's Toyota improved significantly after a mediocre performance at Texas. Combining the newfound speed of his JGR car with his exceptional short-track talent, he secured two 8th-place finishes in stages 1 and 2 at Bristol. He even led a dozen laps late in the race before being overtaken by Jimmie Johnson in the final stage, ultimately finishing 10th. At his home track in Richmond, another short track, he led 50 laps and made a brilliant move past Brad Keselowski from 2nd place on the sixth restart, earning a 3rd-place finish along with valuable stage points from both stages.

Hamlin's exceptional skills on restrictor-plate tracks were evident at Talladega. He used strategic pit stops to secure his first stage win of the year in Stage 2 and led more laps than any other driver. Despite his strong performance, he fell back late in the race and missed the victory. At the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, he claimed his second stage win in Stage 3, leading the final 10 laps of that segment. Although a poor restart from the front dropped him to 10th at the beginning of the final stage, Hamlin worked his way back through the field to finish 5th, earning valuable points in the standings.

Hamlin secured a solid 8th-place finish at a crash-filled Dover race, despite being penalized for an uncontrolled tire in Stage 1. He followed up with a strong performance at Pocono, running well throughout but dropping back late to finish 12th. At Michigan, Hamlin battled intensely with Kyle Larson on the final restart and finished 4th.

Returning to Sonoma, the site of his memorable 2016 duel with Tony Stewart, Hamlin put on an impressive performance. He led 12 laps during Stage 2 and stayed in the top two for most of the race. However, as his tires lost grip late, he fell from 2nd to 4th place, losing positions to Clint Bowyer with six laps to go and Brad Keselowski on the final lap. The race ended under caution after Kasey Kahne crashed on the front straight, with Hamlin finishing 4th overall, adding to his 5th and 4th place finishes in the earlier race stages.

At Daytona the following week, Hamlin had a strong performance, leading 16 laps during Stage 2 and finishing a close second to teammate Matt Kenseth in that stage. However, his race ended in frustration when he got caught up in a three-car incident with three laps remaining while running seventh. As he attempted to get moving again, his car erupted into flames, forcing an early retirement and marking his second DNF of the year.

The next race in Kentucky resulted in another strong top-5 performance for Hamlin, with finishes of 4th and 5th in the stages and 4th overall. The following week, he finally broke through. Starting 8th on the grid in New Hampshire, Hamlin finished 9th and 2nd in the stages before leading 52 laps on his way to victory. This win marked his 30th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his third Cup win at Loudon, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s first victory of the 2017 season.

A dismal race in Indianapolis followed, where a blown tire in overtime cost Hamlin a top-5 result, leaving him to finish 17th. He rebounded at the Overton's 400 in Pocono, returning to the top 5. The race centered around four main contenders: Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and Kevin Harvick. Hamlin led 18 laps and looked like a strong contender for his second win of the season, ultimately finishing 4th. Busch claimed victory, signaling that JGR was back to its usual competitive form. Hamlin continued his strong performance the following week, finishing 4th at Watkins Glen, where he had earned his first road course win the previous year.

Heading into the next race at Michigan, Hamlin's long-time partner, Jordan Fish, was close to the end of her pregnancy, with their baby due at any moment. As a precaution, Christopher Bell ran practice laps in Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota, ready to step in if Fish went into labor during the weekend. However, she did not. The team took a bold strategy, staying out on old tires and hoping for a caution, but it didn't work out as planned. Hamlin had to pit with 11 laps remaining, and the caution he needed came just two laps later, resulting in a 16th-place finish.

Hamlin secured a third-place finish at the Bristol night race after a consistent performance. The following week at Darlington, he dominated both the Xfinity and Cup races. In the Xfinity race on Saturday, Hamlin outdueled Joey Logano, executing a crossover move in the last corner to cut underneath and take the win. In the Cup race, Hamlin's 'Flying 11' proved to be the most consistent and fastest car, leading 124 of the 367 laps en route to victory. Despite a late pit-road mistake, he claimed his second win of the season. However, both wins were deemed "encumbered" after NASCAR found an illegal rear suspension component during a post-race inspection. As a result, Hamlin was docked 25 points, and his crew chief, Mike Wheeler, was fined $50,000 and suspended for two races. This Cup Series victory would mark Hamlin's last until the 2019 Daytona 500, 47 races later.

The final race of the regular season at Richmond resulted in another top-five finish for the No. 11 car, but it could have been even better. In overtime, on the final lap, Hamlin attempted to pass Martin Truex Jr. for second place but slid his tires, which caused him to collect Truex and send him into the outside wall. Hamlin ultimately recovered to finish fifth and later apologized to the 2017 regular-season champion.

Hamlin's playoffs started strong with a 4th-place finish, adding to his impressive consistency; his average finish over the last 10 races was 6th, the best in the field. This solid performance positioned him well for the second playoff race at New Hampshire, a track where he had previously won three times, including once earlier in the summer. However, he finished 12th this time after a relatively average race. At Dover, Hamlin managed to earn stage points to secure a spot in the Round of 12 but was forced to retire with less than 30 laps remaining due to a broken axle.

The Round of 12 started strong for Hamlin, as he secured his first pole of the season for the Charlotte. He ran near the front throughout the race, collecting valuable stage points and finishing 4th. This result placed him 5th in the standings, 13 points above the cutoff line heading into Talladega.

Hamlin entered the Round of 8 with controversy following a race at Martinsville, where, with just three laps remaining, he bumped Chase Elliott in a turn, causing Elliott to spin out. Many fans believed the incident was intentional, as they booed Hamlin during his post-race interview. "I got into the back of him, and he spun out," Hamlin told NBCSN. "I was trying to get a race win... everybody was doing the same thing. I hate it for his team. I understand they've been waiting for a win for a long time, but this is for a ticket to Homestead."

At Phoenix, Hamlin appeared to be on track for a Championship 4 spot after collecting 19 stage points and a stage win. However, his hopes were dashed when he slammed the wall with under 45 laps remaining following contact from Elliott, ultimately preventing him from advancing to the final round.

2018: First Winless Season

In 2018, Denny Hamlin began the season with a third-place finish at the Daytona 500. Despite not winning any races during the regular season, he secured a playoff spot by maintaining consistency, achieving seven top-five finishes and 14 top-10s. However, Hamlin was eliminated in the Round of 16 after finishing outside the top 10 at Las Vegas, Richmond, and the Charlotte Roval. He ended the season in 11th place in the final point standings, marking his first time outside the top ten since 2013, when he missed four races due to injury. This was also the first season in his career without a victory, ending a 12-season streak of winning at least one race, which dated back to his rookie year in 2006 when he won both Pocono races, up until his victory at New Hampshire in July and his second Southern 500 win in 2017.

2019: Return to the Championship 4 and 2nd Daytona 500

In 2019, Denny Hamlin began the season by breaking a 47-race winless streak with his second Daytona 500 victory, marking his first Cup Series win with new crew chief Chris Gabehart, who had replaced Mike Wheeler. Hamlin dedicated the win to the late J.D. Gibbs. He earned his second win of the season at Texas and followed up with victories at Pocono and the Bristol Night Race. However, during the spring race at Dover, Hamlin was rushed to the infield care center after carbon monoxide poisoning, caused by an accident that knocked out his car’s right rear crush panel and allowed fumes into the cabin. Despite this setback, he remained consistent through the regular season. A 19th-place finish at the Charlotte Roval didn’t stop him from advancing to the Round of 12.

At Martinsville, Hamlin collided with Joey Logano in turn four, forcing Logano into the outside wall. Logano would lose a tire and spin out two laps later. Hamlin finished fourth while Logano salvaged an eighth-place result. After the race, the two drivers discussed the incident, which escalated when Logano slapped Hamlin’s right shoulder, sparking a brief altercation. NASCAR responded by suspending the No. 22 team's tire technician, Dave Nichols Jr., for one race for pulling Hamlin to the ground during the incident.

On November 1, Hamlin announced that he had a torn Glenoid labrum in his left shoulder, which he planned to have surgically repaired after the 2019 season. Despite the injury, he excelled during the Playoffs, securing his fifth win of the season at Kansas just two weeks earlier. He then advanced to the Championship 4 for the first time since 2014, achieving his sixth win of the year at Phoenix—his second career victory at that track since 2012. It also marked the second season in his career with at least six wins, the first being in 2010 when he had eight.

At Homestead, Hamlin started from the pole but struggled to contend for the win or the Championship. He led only two laps, dealt with overheating issues after a gamble with extra nose tape, and made an unscheduled pit stop. He managed to recover from being a lap down to finish 10th. Hamlin ended the season fourth in points, a significant improvement of seven positions from the previous year, and recorded six wins after going winless the prior season, all in his first year with Gabehart as crew chief.

In the Xfinity Series, Hamlin initially won the Darlington race but was disqualified after his car failed to meet the height requirements during the post-race inspection. Consequently, Cole Custer, who finished second, was declared the official race winner.

2020: Third Championship 4 Appearance and back to back Daytona 500 wins

In 2020, Hamlin won his third Daytona 500, edging out Ryan Blaney by just 0.014 seconds in overtime, marking the second-closest finish in the race's history, only surpassed by Hamlin's 2016 win. However, the victory was overshadowed by a severe crash involving Ryan Newman at the finish line. Newman's wreck led to his hospitalization, and controversy arose over Hamlin's post-race burnouts while Newman's condition was still unknown. Both Hamlin and team owner Joe Gibbs later apologized, with Hamlin explaining that he was unaware of Newman's status until he reached Victory Lane.

He dominated in wins at Darlington, Homestead, Pocono, and Kansas. At Homestead, he started on the pole, won both stages, and ultimately claimed victory, earning a perfect 60 points in the standings. At Pocono, he finished second in the first race of the doubleheader, just behind a slower Kevin Harvick. However, he came back to win the second race, strategically staying out late in the pit cycle, pitting under green, and maintaining the lead afterward.

After his win at Kansas, he led the series with five victories. Alongside crew chief Chris Gabehart, they were consistently the team to beat. With his win at Pocono, Hamlin surpassed Mark Martin for the second-most wins by a driver who had never won a championship. That fall, he secured the YellaWood 500 at Talladega in a photo finish over Matt DiBenedetto. The victory, however, was controversial, as Hamlin had gone below the yellow line on the final lap.

2021: Fourth Championship 4 Appearance

In 2021, Hamlin secured a Playoff berth despite not winning any races during the Regular Season. He finished 23rd at the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard after being spun out by a penalized Chase Briscoe while leading during a Green-White-Checkered attempt. Part-time Cup driver A. J. Allmendinger won the race, ensuring Hamlin clinched the 16th and final Playoff spot, even if he remained winless. After the race, Hamlin criticized NASCAR's decision to use the road-course layout at Indianapolis instead of the track's iconic oval.

On September 5, 2021, Hamlin won the Southern 500 at Darlington for the third time in his career, securing a spot in the Round of 12 in the Playoffs. Three weeks later, Hamlin earned his second victory of the season at Las Vegas, marking his first career win at the track and advancing to the Round of 8.

During the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville, the penultimate race of the season, Hamlin was leading with seven laps to go while battling Alex Bowman, who had already been eliminated from the Playoffs in the previous round. Bowman made contact with Hamlin's left rear, causing Hamlin to spin in Turn 3 and bringing out a caution. Bowman went on to win the race, while Hamlin finished 24th but still managed to advance to the Championship 4. After the race, as Bowman was preparing to celebrate with burnouts, Hamlin pulled up in front of him, appearing to block his celebration. Hamlin then drove into the front of Bowman's car, pushing it and giving Bowman the middle finger before heading to pit road. In his post-race interview, Hamlin called Bowman "an absolute hack" and said, "he's fucking terrible."

Despite the incident, Hamlin made it to the Championship 4 for the third consecutive year, finishing third in the final standings. He ended the season with two wins, 19 top-five finishes, 25 top-ten finishes, 1,502 laps led, an average finish of 8.4, and zero DNFs.

2022: First Feud with Ross Chastain and First Failure to reach Championship 4

In 2022, Hamlin began the season with a 37th-place finish at the Daytona 500. Although he secured a win at Richmond, he faced challenges in the first 12 races, managing only four top-20 finishes and recording four DNFs. On May 3, 2022, Gabehart received a four-race suspension following a tire and wheel loss at Dover.

On April 26, NASCAR announced that Hamlin would be required to attend sensitivity training following a controversial tweet. The tweet, posted on April 25, mocked Kyle Larson's block on Kurt Busch during the final lap of the 2022 GEICO 500 by using a ''Family Guy'' clip. The clip depicted an Asian woman driving poorly, failing to use turn signals and causing a major accident. The tweet drew backlash, especially because Larson is Japanese American. Hamlin deleted the tweet the same day and issued an apology: "I took down a post I made earlier today after reading some of the eplies It was a poor choice of memes and I saw how it was offensive. It came across totally wrong. I apologize."

Hamlin's 2022 season had several noteworthy moments. He secured his second win at the Coca-Cola 600 but became more known for his ongoing feud with Ross Chastain. Their rivalry began during the 2022 Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway, when Chastain bumped Hamlin, sending him into the wall and ending his race. In response, Hamlin repeatedly slowed down in front of Chastain, with NASCAR eventually stepping in and stating that Hamlin had "made his point." Later in the same race, after Chastain had an incident with Chase Elliott, Elliott forced Chastain into the wall on a restart. Hamlin joined in by continuing to obstruct Chastain before ultimately allowing him to pass.

Hamlin won at Pocono but was disqualified after post-race inspections revealed an unauthorized modification to the car's front fascia (along with his former teammate Kyle Busch, who finished second and was penalized for the same infraction). Specifically, clear vinyl had been left on the lower corners and wheel openings before the paint scheme wrap was applied, creating slight dimensional irregularities. This marked the first time a NASCAR Cup Series winner had been disqualified since 1960, when Emanuel Zervakis lost a victory due to an oversized fuel tank.

Hamlin was eliminated from championship contention after the Round of 8. At Martinsville, Chastain executed a remarkable move by riding the outside wall to overtake Hamlin for the final Championship 4 spot, pushing Hamlin out of the season finale contention for the first time since 2018. Hamlin finished the season fifth in the points standings.

2023: Second Failure to reach Championship 4 and Second Feuds with Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain

In 2023, Hamlin began the season with a 17th-place finish at the Daytona 500. On March 15, he was docked 25 points and fined $50,000 after admitting on his podcast ''Actions Detrimental'' that he had intentionally wrecked Ross Chastain during the closing laps of the Phoenix race.

In April, Hamlin was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers. He secured a victory at Kansas after a tense battle with Kyle Larson, who hit the outside wall on the final lap, allowing Hamlin to pass for the win. This victory marked Joe Gibbs Racing’s 400th career win. At Charlotte, Hamlin was right-rear hooked into the outside wall by Chase Elliott, leading to Elliott’s one-race suspension.

On July 23, Hamlin earned his second win of the season at Pocono, his seventh career victory at the track, breaking Jeff Gordon’s record. This win was also Hamlin’s 50th career Cup Series victory and marked Toyota's 600th overall win. Additionally, it was the first win for sponsor Mavis Tires & Brakes, who had just started sponsoring him at New Hampshire the previous week.

During the playoffs, Hamlin advanced to the Round of 12 with a victory at Bristol. This win surpassed Junior Johnson’s record for the most wins by a driver without a championship. Hamlin finished the season with 19 top-ten finishes, 14 top-five finishes, and three wins (Kansas, Pocono, and Bristol), placing fifth in the standings for the second consecutive year.

Hamlin returned to the Xfinity Series in 2023 after a two-year hiatus, driving Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 19 car to victory at Darlington in September. He had planned to participate in the race in 2022 but withdrew to recover from a crash in the previous week's Cup Series race at Daytona, ensuring he was ready for the Cup Series playoff opener the next day.

2024: Third Failure to reach Championship 4

In 2024, Hamlin kicked off the season with a win at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. At the Daytona 500, he got caught in a wreck with William Byron. Hamlin went off and finished 19th, while Byron went on to win the race. Hamlin secured his first pole of the season at Phoenix, but spun out late while racing Tyler Reddick for the lead in the third stage. He recovered to finish 11th. The following week, he claimed his first win of the season at Bristol, which marked the first spring race on the concrete track since 2020. This race sparked controversy due to significant tire wear, likely caused by a strip of resin applied to the racing groove and cooler temperatures that hindered the track from taking rubber. (However, on August 22, the No. 11 team faced an L2 penalty following an engine inspection violation. Toyota Racing Development admitted that the race-winning engine from Bristol had been rebuilt instead of inspected by NASCAR, resulting in a 75-point penalty for both the driver and team, along with a $100,000 fine for crew chief Chris Gabehart.)

Two weeks later, Hamlin triumphed again at Richmond in an overtime finish, aided by his pit crew’s strong performance. However, controversy surrounded the restart, as Hamlin appeared to accelerate before the restart line alongside Martin Truex Jr. NASCAR deemed the restart clean, and Hamlin was declared the winner. He led 17 laps, continuing his streak of leading at least one lap in all seven races to start the season. A month later, Hamlin won at Dover. During Martinsville practice, Hamlin backed his car into the wall due to a stuck throttle. Despite the repairs, he finished 5th in the race but didn’t accumulate enough points to advance, marking his third consecutive year missing the final four and elimination in the Round of 8 during the playoffs. Hamlin finished eighth in the points standings for the season. At the conclusion of the year, it was announced that FedEx would not return as the sponsor of the No. 11 car in 2025, ending a 20-year partnership with JGR. On November 22, JGR promoted Chris Gabehart to competition director, while Chris Gayle was named the new crew chief for the No. 11 car starting in 2025.

2025: 11 Against the World

Hamlin started the 2025 season leading on the final lap of the 2025 Daytona 500 before being wrecked on the backstretch handing him a 24th place finish. He was then involved in the closest finish ever at Phoenix, coming off second to teammate Christopher Bell. On March 18, Progressive Insurance signed a deal to be the primary sponsor of the No. 11 car for 18 races during the season. Later that month, Hamlin won at Martinsville, his first win at the track in a decade. Upon his win, Hamlin waved a flag that read: "11 against the world", a nod to the Ohio State Buckeyes and a reference to his involvement in 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports' antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. During the season, he also scored wins at Darlington and Michigan. On June 12, Hamlin announced that he would miss the Mexico City race due to the birth of his son, ending his 406 consecutive race start streak that began in 2014. Despite missing the race, NASCAR granted Hamlin a waiver a day later, keeping his playoff elgibility alive.

Superstar Racing Experience

On February 1, 2023, the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) announced that Hamlin would compete in the 2023 SRX Series opener at Stafford Motor Speedway on July 13. He went on to win the event, which was shortened by lightning.

Owner career

On September 21, 2020, Denny Hamlin and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, longtime friends, announced the formation of 23XI Racing, a single-car team for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. Bubba Wallace would drive the No. 23 car. On October 4, 2021, Wallace secured his first career Cup Series victory at Talladega, making history as the first African-American driver to win a Cup race since Wendell Scott in 1963.

For the 2022 season, the team expanded to a two-car operation with the addition of the No. 45, driven by 2004 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch, who brought Monster Energy as a sponsor. On May 16, 2022, Kurt Busch delivered 23XI's second win at Kansas Speedway, leading 116 of 267 laps. Later that year, Wallace won the second Kansas race for the team that fall, driving the No. 45 in place of Busch, who was sidelined with concussion symptoms from a wreck at Pocono. In doing so, Wallace became the first African-American driver to win multiple Cup Series races.

On July 12, 2022, 23XI Racing and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) announced that Tyler Reddick would join the team full-time in 2024. However, following Busch’s announcement on October 16 that he would step away from full-time racing in 2023, it was revealed that Reddick’s contract with Richard Childress Racing would be bought out by 23XI, and he would replace Busch for the 2023 season.

In media

In 2016, Hamlin served as a guest analyst for Fox during the Xfinity Series race at Talladega. The following year, he returned to Fox for the Cup drivers-only broadcast of the Xfinity race at Pocono, where he worked from the Hollywood Hotel studio.

In 2021, Hamlin appeared in the music video for Post Malone's song " Motley Crew," alongside driver Bubba Wallace.

In 2023, Denny Hamlin launched a weekly podcast with Dirty Mo Media called ''Actions Detrimental'', which airs every Monday morning. Hamlin hosts the show alongside his co-host, social media manager, and friend, Jared Allen. The podcast features content from the latest Cup Series race, fan questions in a segment called "Dear Denny," and additional race insights from Hamlin.

Video games

Hamlin, alongside his Toyota teammates, recorded video clips demonstrating how to drive a lap at each of the NASCAR tracks featured in the 2016 circuit for the video game '' NASCAR Heat Evolution''. He was also one of eight playable drivers in the EA Sports ''NASCAR Racing'' arcade game, notably the only rookie featured. In 2022, Hamlin appeared on the front cover of '' NASCAR Rivals'', alongside his car.

Personal life

Hamlin is the youngest son of Dennis Hamlin and Mary Lou Clark. He was born in Tampa, Florida, at what is now St. Joseph's Women's Hospital, and moved to Virginia when he was two years old.

Hamlin and Jordan Fish have two daughters and a son together. On January 1, 2024, Hamlin and Jordan Fish became engaged.

Hamlin has Ostraconophobia, also known as the fear of shellfish.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

( key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series

=Daytona 500

=

Xfinity Series

Camping World Truck Series

Season still in progress

Ineligible for series points

ARCA Re/Max Series

( key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Superstar Racing Experience

( key) * – Most laps led. ¹ – Heat 1 winner. ² – Heat 2 winner.

References

External links

*

Official profile at Joe Gibbs Racing
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamlin, Denny
1980 births
Living people
People from Chesterfield, Virginia
Racing drivers from Virginia
NASCAR drivers
Manchester High School (Virginia) alumni
Racing drivers from Tampa, Florida
FedEx people
ARCA Menards Series drivers
Joe Gibbs Racing drivers
Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers
Daytona 500 winners