Denny Hamlin’s father died and his mother remains hospitalized after a fire at their home Sunday night.
The parents of the NASCAR Cup Series star “suffered catastrophic injuries while escaping the flames,” according to a news release from the Gaston County office of emergency management and fire services.
Dennis Hamlin, 75, died of his injuries at a local hospital while Mary Lou, 69, was transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem, where she is actively being treated.
Dennis Hamlin had been terminally ill and could not travel to Phoenix in November to see Hamlin race for the 2025 Cup title. Hamlin, who finished second in the championship to Kyle Larson, had said he believed it would be the last time his father would be alive to see him race for a title.
It was Hamlin’s parents who sacrificed financially to get Hamlin started in racing.
“He’s the one that got me into racing,” Denny Hamlin said after his 60th career Cup victory in October at Las Vegas. “He just took me to a racetrack when I was 5 [and] then made all of the sacrifices financially to maintain me going.
“Offered every little thing that they had. We nearly misplaced our home a pair instances, simply tried to maintain all of it going.”
Hamlin’s mother and father didn’t have the monetary means to help Hamlin past racing on the grassroots degree. His father owned a trailer and hitch retailer in Virginia; his mom labored in insurance coverage.
“My mother and father had no cash [for racing],” Denny mentioned after the Vegas win. “My mother and father had very regular jobs, however they discovered a means. That means is a path I’d by no means suggest anyone taking. Each bank card that involves the mail — okay, we’ll use it.
“Asking individuals to assist. Second and third mortgaging the home. All these items. The arguments I needed to hearken to — I am in my room, and my mother and pop are going at it. One is saying, ‘I can not do it anymore.’ The opposite one saying, ‘Please, only one extra week.’ It is nice it is all paid off.”
Hamlin bought his break when the late J.D. Gibbs, son of Joe Gibbs, noticed him shaking down vehicles — at track-record pace — at a check for the group’s range program. Hamlin competed in a single season of the Xfinity Collection and bought seven Cup begins in 2005 after the firing of Jason Leffler. That earned him the full-time position beginning in 2006, and he has pushed for JGR ever since with 60 victories and 7 finishes of second or third within the Cup standings.
Hamlin additionally co-owns 23XI Racing with basketball legend Michael Jordan. The group has received 9 Cup races in its 5 seasons. Two of its drivers, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, made the playoffs this 12 months.
One of many extra well-known drivers due to his success, outspokenness and his podcast, Hamlin was one of many faces of the group’s antitrust lawsuit in opposition to NASCAR. Joined by Entrance Row Motorsports, 23XI Racing waged a contentious lawsuit with NASCAR that finally settled after eight days of trial earlier this month.
Phrases weren’t disclosed however the suing groups obtained a monetary settlement and the constitution settlement for all groups was revised to incorporate a number of provisions the groups had requested for in negotiations however didn’t get when 13 of the 15 organizations agreed to phrases in September 2024.
Mary Lou Hamlin attended the opening days of the trial, together with throughout Hamlin’s testimony. She has been certainly one of his largest supporters and has operated his fan membership.
The Hamlin residence was a 3,724-square foot residence inbuilt 2015 and owned by the motive force’s actual property firm, in accordance with public data. A number of fireplace departments had been dispatched to the house at 6:19 p.m. ET on Sunday and arrived at 6:27 pm. “to discover a two-story residence principally engulfed, with flames displaying via your complete attic,” in accordance with the information launch.
Due to the extent of fireplace and ensuing structural collapse, the trigger is at the moment undetermined. The investigation is ongoing.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time masking motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
