As the NASCAR Cup Series championship looms this Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, Denny Hamlin’s battle isn’t just about speed; it’s about heart. The 44-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver, with 60 career wins and three Daytona 500 victories, enters the winner-take-all finale carrying something far heavier than any trophy: his father’s declining health. Dennis Hamlin, 75, is too ill to attend, a painful absence that makes every lap matter more.
“I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him going and never getting to see the moment, Hamlin told the Associated Press while speaking about his father, now battling a serious illness.” Twenty-one years after Dennis mortgaged their Virginia home to fund his son’s dream, this race feels like the final chapter of a promise kept.
Denny Hamlin’s Career Fueled by Sacrifice
With six wins and unmatched consistency, Hamlin has reclaimed his edge. His tearful Las Vegas victory in September, which secured his Championship 4 spot, tied him with Kevin Harvick for 10th on NASCAR’s all-time list.
When he’s not racing, Denny spends quiet moments back home with his dad. “He was just so happy, and he always tells me I’m the best, no matter if I win or not, he always says I’m the best,” Hamlin said. “He’s a big hype guy, and I sat in his garage and talked with him. He’s got all my old memorabilia, and it’s just good to reminisce. He’s a reminiscent guy, and right now I am just cherishing those hours that I have with them each week.”
Facing Larson, Byron, and Briscoe at Phoenix
Hamlin’s path to the title isn’t easy. He faces Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, William Byron, and teammate Chase Briscoe, all fierce contenders.
Even Larson, known for his competitive fire, admits there’s something special about Hamlin’s story this year.
“He’s a deserving champion and nearing the end of his career, so if I couldn’t win, I’d love to see him because you’d think he’d have one on his resume. He deserves it,” Larson told The AP. “I could see how (his dad) absolutely gives extra motivation, and I think sympathy goes a long way. It’s not going to stop me from wanting to beat him, but there are a lot of reasons a Denny Hamlin championship would feel good. I truly think everybody in the sport would be happy, probably even the folks at NASCAR.”
Beyond the Track: Pressure and Legacy
Off-track, Hamlin is juggling a high-stakes battle of another kind. His 23XI Racing team, co-owned with Michael Jordan, is in a legal fight with NASCAR over charter agreements, with a trial set for December 1. Still, Hamlin insists the tension hasn’t distracted him. His focus remains fixed on one thing: delivering a moment his father can be proud of.
After years of heartbreak and near-misses, Sunday at Phoenix could finally be the day Denny Hamlin writes his name among NASCAR’s champions, not for himself, but for the man who believed before anyone else did.
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