Denny Hamlin
Hamlin atLas Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025
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) 2016,2019,2020Daytona 500 Winner 2015Sprint All-Star Race Winner 2010,2017,2021Southern 500 Winner 2022Coca-Cola 600 Winner 2008,2014,2017 Can-Am Duels Winner 2006,2014,2016,2024Busch Light Clash Winner 7 Wins atPocono Raceway (Most all time) 4 Wins atKansas 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 atMichigan International Speedway (0.012s) First rookie to qualify forChase for the Nextel Cup (2006)
Awards	2006 Nextel Cup SeriesRookie of the Year Named one ofNASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)
NASCARCup Series career
686 races run over 20 years
Car no., team	No. 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
2024 position	8th
Best finish	2nd (2010)
First race	2005Banquet 400 (Kansas)
Last race	2025Pennzoil 400 (Las Vegas)
First win	2006Pocono 500 (Pocono)
Last win	2024Würth 400 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles 54 358 43
NASCARXfinity Series career
164 races run over 19 years
2023 position	77th
Best finish	4th (2006)
First race	2004BI-LO 200 (Darlington)
Last race	2023Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 (Darlington)
First win	2006Telcel-Motorola 200 (Mexico City)
Last win	2023Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 (Darlington)
Wins Top tens Poles 18 101 21
NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career
16 races run over 9 years
2013 position	93rd
Best finish	37th (2004)
First race	2004Power Stroke Diesel 200 (IRP)
Last race	2013Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
First win	2011Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
Last win	2012Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 2 10 1
ARCA Menards Series career
2 races run over 2 years
Best finish	107th (2004)
First race	2004Food World 300 (Talladega)
Last race	2005PFG Lester 150 (Nashville)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
Signature
Statistics current as of November 10, 2024.

James Dennis Alan Hamlin (born November 18, 1980)^[1][2] is an American professionalstock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in theNASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 11Toyota Camry XSE forJoe Gibbs Racing. He also co-owns and operates23XI Racing with basketball Hall of FamerMichael Jordan.

As a driver, Hamlin has achieved a total of 54 NASCAR Cup Series victories. His notable wins include theCoca-Cola 600 in2022, theSouthern 500 in2010,2017, and2021, and theDaytona 500 in2016,2019, and2020. He is also the fourth driver in history to win theDaytona 500 in back-to-back seasons, joining the ranks ofRichard Petty,Cale Yarborough,Sterling Marlin, andWilliam Byron.^[3]

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 the2013 season, Hamlin has competed in theNASCAR Cup Series playoffs in every full-time season (18 seasons as of 2024). In 2013, a collision withJoey Logano severely damaged his lower back, sidelining him for a significant portion of the early season. Hamlin's rookie season in2006 was particularly impressive, as he finished third in the Chase for theNASCAR Nextel Cup standings, marking one of the most remarkable rookie campaigns in modern NASCAR history.

Since 2023, Hamlin has hosted a weekly podcast onDirty Mo Media titledActions 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.^[4]

Hamlin was born inTampa, Florida, and spent most of his childhood inChesterfield 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 atLangley 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 inLate Model Stock Cars, he signed adriver development contract withJoe Gibbs Racing.

In 2004, Hamlin competed in fiveNASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races with EJP Racing, achieving a tenth-place finish in his debut atIRP. He then made his firstARCA RE/MAX Series start atTalladega Superspeedway, finishing third in theNo. 10Pontiac forFast Track Racing, owned byAndy Hillenburg. Hamlin's final race of the year was atDarlington Raceway, where he made hisBusch Series debut. Starting twenty-seventh due to a rainout, he finished eighth in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven Performance OilChevrolet.

In 2005, Hamlin ran the full2005 season in theBusch Series after replacingMike Bliss in the No. 20Rockwell Automation-sponsoredChevrolet. As a rookie, he finished fifth in the final championship points standings, achieving 11 Top 10 finishes and earning $1,064,110 ($1,713,201 Today) Hamlin also made his debut in theNextel Cup Series, driving theNo. 11FedEx-sponsoredChevrolet atKansas Speedway. He was announced as the full-time driver for the No. 11 car for the2006 season afterJason Leffler was released. In his seven Cup starts that year, he secured three Top 10 finishes and one pole position atPhoenix.

In2006, Hamlin completed his first full season in theNASCAR Nextel Cup Series while also competing full-time in theBusch Series. In his inaugural restrictor-plate race as a Nextel Cup driver, he won the 70-lapBudweiser Shootout, defeating all the previous year's pole winners and becoming the firstRookie of the Year candidate to win the event. Hamlin secured his first careerBusch Series victory atAutódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on March 5. On June 11, 2006, he earned his first Cup Series win at thePocono 500, where he also achieved his second career pole. Hamlin followed this with a second win on July 23 in thePennsylvania 500, also atPocono Raceway, making him only the second rookie in Nextel Cup history to sweep both races at a track in the same season (the first beingJimmie Johnson atDover Downs International Speedway in 2002), with both victories coming frompole position. Hamlin won theRaybestos 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 sinceJames Hylton in1966.^[5] Notably, he became the first rookie to qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup, finishing third in points.^[6]

in 2007, Hamlin began the2007 Cup season with a 28th-place finish in theDaytona 500. He achieved his third career Cup victory at theLenox Industrial Tools 300 atNew Hampshire. However, he finished 43rd in thePepsi 400 atDaytona 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 atDarlington,Michigan, andDover while driving the No. 20Rockwell AutomationChevy. He also secured a victory atMilwaukee, althoughAric 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 atMartinsville. AtRichmond, He led 381 out of 410 laps in the2008 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 theNationwide Series, driving both the No. 18 and No. 20 cars for Gibbs, as well as the No. 32Dollar General/Hass Avocados-sponsored car forBraun Racing.

In 2009, He continued driving the No. 11 car inThe Sprint Cup Series and also shared the No. 20 car forJoe Gibbs Racing in theNationwide Series. On August 3, 2009, Hamlin secured his fifth career Cup win atPocono. 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 atPocono and was especially emotional, as it came just days after the passing of his grandmother, Thelma Clark.

Hamlin dominated once again atRichmond, finally securing a win at his home track. On October 25, 2009, he held offJimmie Johnson to win theTUMS Fast Relief 500 atMartinsville Speedway. He concluded the2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with a victory at theFord 400 atHomestead-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.

In 2010, Hamlin entered the season with high expectations, and many saw him as a strong contender to unseatJimmie Johnson as the Sprint Cup Champion. However, on January 22, he tore theanterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee while playingbasketball. 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.^[7]

On March 29, 2010, Hamlin won therain-postponed race atMartinsville Speedway in dramatic fashion, finishing ahead of hisJoe Gibbs Racing teammateJoey Logano andJeff Gordon.^[8] 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 atTexas, he worked his way up through the field and, with 13 laps remaining, restarted in 2nd place. Hamlin passedJeff Burton on the outside and held offJimmie Johnson to secure his 10th career win and his second victory in three races.^[9]

Less than three weeks later, on May 8, Hamlin visited Victory Lane for the third time in 2010 atDarlington Raceway. He had a dominant weekend, winning both theSprint Cup andNationwide Series events.^[10][11] Hamlin became the first driver to sweep both races at Darlington sinceMark Martin in 1993. Hamlin began in 8th position at Saturday night'sShowtime Southern 500, leading 108 laps to secure the victory. A few races later, he dominated theGillette Fusion ProGlide 500 Presented by Target atPocono 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 atMichigan after starting 7th.

Later in the 2010 season, Hamlin finished 43rd in theEmory Healthcare 500 atAtlanta, 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 thefirst 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 toClint Bowyer.

In theAAA 400 atDover, Hamlin finished 9th, retaining the points lead by 35 overJimmie Johnson. The following week atKansas, 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. AtCharlotte 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 atMartinsville Speedway, securing his series-leadingseventh 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 behindJimmie Johnson, who finished 5th.

Next up was theAmp Energy Juice 500 atTalladega Superspeedway. Denny Hamlin started in 17th place and worked his way up to finish 9th, two spots behind points leaderJimmie Johnson. This result put Hamlin 8 points further behind in the standings, totaling 14 points. He then won theAAA Texas 500 atTexas Motor Speedway, taking the lead in the standings by 33 points over Johnson with two races remaining. AtPhoenix, 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.^[12] With one race left, Hamlin led Johnson by 15 points and was 46 points ahead of Kevin Harvick. However, in theFinal race, he lost the lead to Johnson after spinning out and ultimately finished 14th, ending up 39 points behind Johnson.

In 2011, Denny Hamlin nearly won the Budweiser Shootout, but the victory was denied whenKurt Busch passed him after Hamlin crossed the yellow line in turn four while attempting to overtakeRyan 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 teammateKyle 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 unapprovedsumps from the three Joe Gibbs Racing teams, including Hamlin's.^[13] 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 byJeff Gordon—to 9th, guaranteeing him a spot in the Chase.

At the end of the season, Joe Gibbs Racing announced thatMike Ford would not return as Hamlin's crew chief for the 2012 season.^[14]

In 2012,Joe Gibbs Racing announced thatDarian Grubb would replaceMike Ford as Hamlin'screw chief for the season. Grubb had previously served asTony Stewart's crew chief, guiding Stewart to his thirdSprint Cup title in 2011.

Hamlin earned his first win of the year in the second race atPhoenix.^[15] On April 22, 2012, he secured his second victory atKansas, outlastingMartin Truex Jr. He claimed his third win atBristol on August 26 in theIrwin Tools Night Race. A week later, Hamlin became the first driver of the year to earn back-to-back wins, defeating Truex again at theAdvoCare 500 inAtlanta. Two weeks later, he dominated theSylvania 300 atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway, winning from a 32nd-place start.

In 2013, Hamlin's season began on a rough note with crashes in both theSprint Unlimited and theBudweiser Duel. The accident in the Duel forced him to use a backup car for theDaytona 500, where he started 35th, led 33 laps, and finished 14th. He showed improvement the following week with a third-place finish atPhoenix, followed by a 15th-place result inLas Vegas. AtBristol, 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.^[16]

AtFontana, 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 bothKyle Busch andKurt Busch to contend for the lead alongsideJoey 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 L1Vertebral compression fracture, or collapsedvertebra.^[17] 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 fromMichael Waltrip Racing stepped up:Mark Martin drove atMartinsville, andBrian Vickers covered four additional races.

He returned atTalladega for theAaron's 499, telling reporters that, since he wasn’t ready to run a full race, he planned to switch withBrian 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.^[18]

AtDarlington, Hamlin returned to racing for the first time since his injury, qualifying sixth. In the closing laps, he held offJeff Gordon to secure a second-place finish behind teammateMatt Kenseth. At theCoca-Cola 600 inCharlotte, Hamlin earned the pole position with a record speed of 195.624 miles per hour (314.826 km/h), surpassing the previous record of 193.708 miles per hour (311.743 km/h) set by Greg Biffle.^[19] During the race, he led six laps and ultimately finished fourth. AtDover, 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. AtPocono, he started in 17th place and showed improvement by finishing eighth.

Hamlin struggled atMichigan,Sonoma, andKentucky, 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. AtDaytona, Hamlin started 24th and led 20 laps before being involved in a wreck withJuan Pablo Montoya andMartin 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 byA. J. Allmendinger, causing it to go airborne.^[20]

He crashed atPocono 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 in2005, his first appearance was during a Chase race. AtMichigan, he was officially eliminated from the Chase, even if he won the next four races, due to being too far behind in the points.

AtRichmond, Hamlin received an apology text from Logano regarding their incident atAuto 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.^[21]

Despite finishing 23rd in the points standings, Hamlin had a noteworthy season, highlighted by his victory in the season finale atHomestead. He secured the win after a fierce battle withMatt Kenseth andDale Earnhardt Jr. in the final 30 laps.

In 2014, Hamlin began the season on a high note by winning the pole position and leading all three segments of theSprint Unlimited, ultimately securing victory in the race.^[22] He followed this success by winning thesecond Budweiser Duel. In theDaytona 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 duringSpeedweeks. However, he was unable to overtakeDale Earnhardt Jr. in the final two laps and finished in second place.^[23]

AtAuto Club, Hamlin developed asinus infection that affected his vision just hours before the race.^[24] A half-hour before the green flag,Joe Gibbs Racing replaced him withSam 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. AtTalladega, Hamlin won the race after thecaution flag waved during the final lap.^[25]

At theBrickyard 400, Hamlin finished third, but his No. 11 car failed post-race inspection. NASCAR impounded the vehicle for further investigation. Two days later, NASCAR suspendedcrew chiefDarian Grubb and car chief Wesley Sherrill for six races. They fined Grubb $125,000, docked Hamlin 75 driver points, andJoe 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."^[26]

At Bristol, Hamlin seemed poised to win, leading many laps until he crashed after contact withKevin Harvick while vying for the lead. In frustration, Hamlin angrily threw hisHANS device at Harvick's car during a caution period.^[27] Some fans speculated that NASCAR should have penalized Hamlin for exiting his car before safety workers arrived, a rule instituted after the tragic incident involvingTony Stewart andKevin 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 thefinal round. With twenty laps to go, he was leading both the race and the championship. However, a caution came out, andDarian 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.

In 2015, Hamlin began the season by starting at the rear of the field in theBudweiser Duels due to a penalty received during Daytona 500 qualifying.^[28] In theDaytona 500, he came close to winning for the second consecutive year, finishing 4th and showcasing one of the best cars throughoutSpeedweeks. However, atAtlanta, Hamlin finished 38th after being involved in a wreck with 42 laps remaining. He rebounded atLas Vegas, finishing 5th, but struggled atPhoenix, where he ended up in 24th place.

AtCalifornia, 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 waspenalized 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.

AtMartinsville, 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,^[29] where he led a total of 91 laps. Hamlin, who had a history of feuding with Keselowski during the2014 Bank of America 500, praised him for not wrecking him to win the race.^[29]

During theBristol spring race, Hamlin was replaced byErik Jones after 22 laps due toneck spasms.^[30][31] in May, Hamlin secured victory in theSprint All-Star Race by beatingBrad 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 bothJoe Gibbs Racing andToyota.^[32]

After qualifying for theChase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Denny Hamlin won the opening race atChicagoland Speedway, securing his spot in the second round.^[33] However, during the next round atTalladega, 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.

In 2016, With new crew chiefMike Wheeler replacingDave Rogers, Hamlin won theSprint Unlimited. In theDaytona 500, he passed hisJoe Gibbs Racing teammateMatt Kenseth for the lead on the final lap. Hamlin andMartin 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 inDaytona 500 history and gave team ownerJoe Gibbs his first victory in the event since1993.^[34] However, atMartinsville, Hamlin was running well until he wrecked after hitting the curb and slamming into the wall, finishing 39th.^[35] He also experienced further wrecks atKansas andDover.^[36][37]

Hamlin competed in both theCup andXfinity races during theCoca-Cola 600 weekend, winning the Xfinity race and finishing fourth in the main Cup event.^[38] AtMichigan, he suffered a blown tire with 12 laps to go.^[39] During theSonoma race, he ledTony 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.^[40] However, he rebounded in the season's otherroad race atWatkins Glen, managing his fuel effectively—helped by two red flags and eight cautions—to secure his first road course win.^[41]

He secured a third win in the final race of the regular season atRichmond, starting from the pole and holding off Truex andKyle Larson for the victory.^[42] However, his championship hopes were affected when his engine failed with 26 laps remaining atCharlotte, ultimately resulting in a sixth-place finish in the points standings.^[43]

In 2017, Hamlin had a challenging start to the season, which featured significant changes, including the introduction ofstage racing. He secured an 8th-place finish in Stage 1 of theDaytona 500 but was involved in amajor crash at the end of Stage 2, triggered by a tire blowout onKyle Busch's No. 18Toyota Camry,^[44] ultimately finishing 17th. The difficulties continued with a disappointing race inAtlanta, where mechanical failures forced him to retire, resulting in a 38th-place classification.^[45]

Hamlin rebounded with a sixth-place finish inLas Vegas, followed by another top-10 result inPhoenix. At theSTP 500 inMartinsville, 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.^[46]

Hamlin's Toyota improved significantly after a mediocre performance atTexas. 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 atBristol. He even led a dozen laps late in the race before being overtaken byJimmie Johnson in the final stage, ultimately finishing 10th. At his home track inRichmond, another short track, he led 50 laps and made a brilliant move pastBrad 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 atTalladega. 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.^[47] At theCoca-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-filledDover race, despite being penalized for an uncontrolled tire in Stage 1.^[48] He followed up with a strong performance atPocono, running well throughout but dropping back late to finish 12th. AtMichigan, Hamlin battled intensely withKyle Larson on the final restart and finished 4th.^[49]

Returning toSonoma, the site of his memorable2016 duel withTony 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 toClint Bowyer with six laps to go andBrad Keselowski on the final lap. The race ended under caution afterKasey Kahne crashed on the front straight,^[50] with Hamlin finishing 4th overall, adding to his 5th and 4th place finishes in the earlier race stages.

AtDaytona the following week, Hamlin had a strong performance, leading 16 laps during Stage 2 and finishing a close second to teammateMatt 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.^[51]

The next race inKentucky 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 inNew 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, andJoe Gibbs Racing’s first victory of the2017 season.^[52]

A dismal race inIndianapolis followed, where a blown tire in overtime cost Hamlin a top-5 result, leaving him to finish 17th.^[53] He rebounded at theOverton's 400 inPocono, returning to the top 5. The race centered around four main contenders: Hamlin,Kyle Busch,Martin Truex Jr., andKevin 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.^[54] Hamlin continued his strong performance the following week, finishing 4th atWatkins Glen, where he had earned his first road course win the previous year.

Heading into the next race atMichigan, 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 theBristol night race after a consistent performance. The following week atDarlington, he dominated both the Xfinity and Cup races. In theXfinity race on Saturday, Hamlin outdueledJoey Logano, executing a crossover move in the last corner to cut underneath and take the win.^[55] In theCup 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.^[56] This Cup Series victory would mark Hamlin's last until the2019 Daytona 500, 47 races later.

The final race of the regular season atRichmond 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 passMartin 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.^[57]

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 atNew 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. AtDover, 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 theCharlotte.^[58] 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 intoTalladega.

Hamlin entered the Round of 8 with controversy following a race atMartinsville, where, with just three laps remaining, he bumpedChase 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."^[59]

AtPhoenix, 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 thefinal round.

In 2018, Denny Hamlin began the season with a third-place finish at theDaytona 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 atLas Vegas,Richmond, andthe 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.

In 2019, Denny Hamlin began the season by breaking a 47-race winless streak with his secondDaytona 500 victory, marking his first Cup Series win with new crew chiefChris Gabehart, who had replacedMike Wheeler. Hamlin dedicated the win to the lateJ.D. Gibbs.^[60] He earned his second win of the season atTexas and followed up with victories atPocono andthe Bristol Night Race.^[61] However, during the spring race atDover, 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.^[62] Despite this setback, he remained consistent through the regular season. A 19th-place finish atthe Charlotte Roval didn’t stop him from advancing to the Round of 12.^[63]

AtMartinsville, Hamlin collided withJoey 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.^[64]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.^[65]

On November 1, Hamlin announced that he had a tornGlenoid labrum in his left shoulder, which he planned to have surgically repaired after the 2019 season.^[66] Despite the injury, he excelled during the Playoffs, securing his fifth win of the season atKansas just two weeks earlier. He then advanced to theChampionship 4 for the first time since 2014, achieving his sixth win of the year atPhoenix—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.^[67]

AtHomestead, 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 theXfinity Series, Hamlin initially won theDarlington 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.^[68][69]

In 2020, Hamlin won his thirdDaytona 500, edging outRyan 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.^[70] However, the victory was overshadowed by a severe crash involvingRyan 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 ownerJoe Gibbs later apologized, with Hamlin explaining that he was unaware of Newman's status until he reached Victory Lane.^[71]

He dominated in wins atDarlington,Homestead,Pocono, andKansas. AtHomestead, he started on the pole, won both stages, and ultimately claimed victory, earning a perfect 60 points in the standings. AtPocono, he finished second in thefirst race of the doubleheader, just behind a slowerKevin Harvick. However, he came back to win thesecond race, strategically staying out late in the pit cycle, pitting under green, and maintaining the lead afterward.

After his win atKansas, he led the series with five victories. Alongside crew chiefChris Gabehart, they were consistently the team to beat.^[72][73] With his win atPocono, Hamlin surpassedMark Martin for the second-most wins by a driver who had never won a championship. That fall, he secured theYellaWood 500 atTalladega in a photo finish overMatt DiBenedetto. The victory, however, was controversial, as Hamlin had gone below theyellow line on the final lap.^[74][75]

In 2021, Hamlin secured a Playoff berth despite not winning any races during the Regular Season. He finished 23rd at theVerizon 200 at the Brickyard after being spun out by a penalizedChase Briscoe while leading during a Green-White-Checkered attempt.^[76] Part-time Cup driverA. 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 theSouthern 500 atDarlington 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 atLas Vegas, marking his first career win at the track and advancing to the Round of 8.

During theXfinity 500 atMartinsville, the penultimate race of the season, Hamlin was leading with seven laps to go while battlingAlex 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."^[77]

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.

In 2022, Hamlin began the season with a 37th-place finish at theDaytona 500. Although he secured a win atRichmond, 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 atDover.^[78]

On April 26, NASCAR announced that Hamlin would be required to attend sensitivity training following a controversial tweet. The tweet, posted on April 25, mockedKyle Larson's block onKurt Busch during the final lap of the2022 GEICO 500 by using aFamily 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 isJapanese 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 [replies]. It was a poor choice of memes and I saw how it was offensive. It came across totally wrong. I apologize."^[79]

Hamlin's 2022 season had several noteworthy moments. He secured his second win at theCoca-Cola 600 but became more known for his ongoing feud withRoss Chastain. Their rivalry began during the2022 Enjoy Illinois 300 atGateway, when Chastain bumped Hamlin, sending him into the wall and ending his race. In response, Hamlin repeatedly slowed down in front of Chastain, withNASCAR eventually stepping in and stating that Hamlin had "made his point." Later in the same race, after Chastain had an incident withChase Elliott, Elliott forced Chastain into the wall on a restart. Hamlin joined in by continuing to obstruct Chastain before ultimately allowing him to pass.^[80]

Hamlin won atPocono but was disqualified after post-race inspections revealed an unauthorized modification to the car's front fascia.^[81] Specifically, clear vinyl had been left on the lower corners and wheel openings before the paint scheme wrap was applied, creating slight dimensional irregularities.^[82] This marked the first time aNASCAR Cup Series winner had been disqualified since 1960, whenEmanuel Zervakis lost a victory due to an oversized fuel tank.^[83][84]

Hamlin was eliminated from championship contention after the Round of 8. AtMartinsville, 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.^[85][86]

In 2023, Hamlin began the season with a 17th-place finish at theDaytona 500. On March 15, he was docked 25 points and fined $50,000 after admitting on his podcastActions Detrimental that he had intentionally wreckedRoss Chastain during the closing laps of thePhoenix race.^[87]

In April, Hamlin was named one ofNASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.^[88] He secured a victory atKansas after a tense battle withKyle Larson, who hit the outside wall on the final lap, allowing Hamlin to pass for the win. This victory markedJoe Gibbs Racing’s 400th career win. AtCharlotte, Hamlin was right-rear hooked into the outside wall byChase Elliott, leading to Elliott’s one-race suspension.^[89]

On July 23, Hamlin earned his second win of the season atPocono, his seventh career victory at the track, breakingJeff 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 sponsorMavis Tires & Brakes, who had just started sponsoring him atNew Hampshire the previous week.^[90]

During the playoffs, Hamlin advanced to the Round of 12 with a victory atBristol. This win surpassedJunior Johnson’s record for the most wins by a driver without a championship.^[91] 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 theXfinity Series in 2023 after a two-year hiatus, driving Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 19 car to victory atDarlington in September.^[92] 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.^[93]

In 2024, Hamlin kicked off the season with a win at theBusch Light Clash at the Coliseum.^[94] At theDaytona 500, he got caught in a wreck withWilliam Byron. Hamlin went off and finished 19th, while Byron went on to win the race. Hamlin secured his first pole of the season atPhoenix, but spun out late while racingTyler Reddick for the lead in the third stage. He recovered to finish 11th. The following week, he claimed his first win of the season atBristol, 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.^[95][96] (However, on August 22, the No. 11 team faced anL2 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 chiefChris Gabehart.)^[97]

Two weeks later, Hamlin triumphed again atRichmond 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 alongsideMartin 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.^[98] A month later, Hamlin won atDover.^[99] DuringMartinsville practice, Hamlin backed his car into the wall due to a stuck throttle.^[100] 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.^[101] 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.^[102] 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.^[103]

On February 1, 2023, theSuperstar Racing Experience (SRX) announced that Hamlin would compete in the2023 SRX Series opener atStafford Motor Speedway on July 13.^[104] He went on to win the event, which was shortened by lightning.^[105][106]

On September 21, 2020, Denny Hamlin and NBA Hall of FamerMichael Jordan, longtime friends, announced the formation of23XI Racing, a single-car team for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.Bubba Wallace would drive the No. 23 car.^[107] On October 4, 2021, Wallace secured his first career Cup Series victory atTalladega, making history as the first African-American driver to win a Cup race sinceWendell Scott in 1963.

For the2022 season, the team expanded to a two-car operation with the addition of the No. 45, driven by2004 NASCAR Cup Series ChampionKurt Busch, who broughtMonster Energy as a sponsor.^[108] On May 16, 2022,Kurt Busch delivered 23XI's second win atKansas Speedway, leading 116 of 267 laps. Later that year, Wallace won thesecond Kansas race for the team that fall, driving the No. 45 in place of Busch, who was sidelined with concussion symptoms from a wreck atPocono. In doing so, Wallace became the first African-American driver to win multiple Cup Series races.

On July 12, 2022, 23XI Racing andToyota Racing Development (TRD) announced thatTyler Reddick would join the team full-time in 2024.^[109] 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 withRichard Childress Racing would be bought out by 23XI, and he would replace Busch for the 2023 season.

In 2016, Hamlin served as a guest analyst forFox 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.^[110]

In 2021, Hamlin appeared in the music video forPost Malone's song "Motley Crew," alongside driverBubba Wallace.^[111]

In 2023, Denny Hamlin launched a weekly podcast withDirty Mo Media calledActions 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.^[4][112]

Hamlin, alongside hisToyota teammates, recorded video clips demonstrating how to drive a lap at each of the NASCAR tracks featured in the 2016 circuit for the video gameNASCAR Heat Evolution. He was also one of eight playable drivers in the EA SportsNASCAR Racing arcade game, notably the only rookie featured. In 2022, Hamlin appeared on the front cover ofNASCAR Rivals, alongside his car.^[113]

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.^[114]

Hamlin and Jordan Fish have two daughters together.^[115][116] On January 1, 2024, Hamlin and Jordan Fish became engaged.^[117]

Hamlin hasOstraconophobia, also known as the fear of shellfish.^[118]

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

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

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

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