Denny Hamlin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Denny Hamlin
Hamlin at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024
Born	James Dennis Alan Hamlin (1980-11-18) November 18, 1980 (age 44) Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	154 lb (70 kg)
Achievements	2024 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion (Owner) 2016, 2019, 2020 Daytona 500 Winner 2015 Sprint All-Star Race Winner 2010, 2017, 2021 Southern 500 Winner 2022 Coca-Cola 600 Winner 2008, 2014, 2017 Can-Am Duels Winner 2006, 2014, 2016, 2024 Busch Light Clash Winner 7 Wins at Pocono Raceway (Most all time) 4 Wins at Kansas Speedway (Most all time) Winner of the 1st and 2nd closest Daytona 500s ever (2016-0.010s, 2020-0.014s) Winner of the closest Xfinity Series finish at Michigan International Speedway (0.012s) First rookie to qualify for Chase for the Nextel Cup (2006)
Awards	2006 Nextel Cup Series Rookie of the Year Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)
NASCAR Cup Series career
678 races run over 20 years
Car no., team	No. 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
2023 position	5th
Best finish	2nd (2010)
First race	2005 Banquet 400 (Kansas)
Last race	2020 FanShield 500 (Phoenix)
First win	2006 Pocono 500 (Pocono)
Last win	2024 Würth 400 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles 54 352 44
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
164 races run over 19 years
2023 position	77th
Best finish	4th (2006)
First race	2004 BI-LO 200 (Darlington)
Last race	2023 Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 (Darlington)
First win	2006 Telcel-Motorola 200 (Mexico City)
Last win	2023 Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 (Darlington)
Wins Top tens Poles 18 101 21
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career
16 races run over 9 years
2013 position	93rd
Best finish	37th (2004)
First race	2004 Power Stroke Diesel 200 (IRP)
Last race	2013 Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
First win	2011 Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
Last win	2012 Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 2 10 1
Signature
Statistics current as of February 19, 2024.

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 54 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, and Sterling Marlin.

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 and 2024 seasons, 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.

Since 2023, Hamlin has hosted a weekly podcast on Dirty Mo Media titled Actions Detrimental. In the podcast, he shares his extensive knowledge of both the business and racing aspects of the sport alongside his co-host, Jared Allen.

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

Hamlin celebrating after winning the 2006 Pennsylvania 500

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 ($1,594,443 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

Hamlin practicing for the 2007 Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway

2008 Nationwide car

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

Hamlin racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2009

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

Hamlin in victory lane after winning the 2010 Air Guard 400

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

Hamlin at Pocono Raceway in 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 the coveted 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 Sump from the three JGR 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

Hamlin at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2012

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.

2014: First Championship 4 Appearance

Hamlin at Sonoma Raceway in 2014

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 him 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

Hamlin led with 11 laps remaining in the 2015 Daytona 500.

Hamlin at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 300

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.

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

Hamlin's 2016 Daytona 500 race-winning car

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.

2018: First Winless Season

Hamlin battling Bubba Wallace for second at the 2018 Daytona 500

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

Hamlin before winning the 2019 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race

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

Hamlin at Daytona in 2020

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

Hamlin's race-winning car during the 2021 Cook Out Southern 500

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. .....

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.

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

Hamlin's car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2023

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

Hamlin's car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024

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.

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

Further information: 23XI Racing

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.

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 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
¹ 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.

See also

In Spanish: Denny Hamlin para niños