Denny Hamlin has built a NASCAR career defined by excellence, longevity, and perseverance. A product of Chesterfield, Virginia, Hamlin’s rise from local short tracks to the national spotlight has cemented his place among the sport’s elite.

With 56 Cup Series wins, three Daytona 500 trophies, and numerous playoff runs, Hamlin is already a Hall of Fame lock. Yet, one missing piece continues to haunt his legacy — a Cup Series championship. As he pushes into his mid-40s, time becomes both his fiercest rival and his most urgent motivator.

Chesterfield Roots and Early Ascent

Hamlin’s journey began far from the glitz of Daytona or Charlotte. Born on November 18, 1980, in Tampa, Florida, but raised in Chesterfield, Virginia, his racing story started at just 7 years old in go-karts. The young Hamlin quickly developed a natural feel for speed and competition.

By his teenage years, he was a dominant presence in late model stock car events throughout Virginia, earning a name on the Old Dominion’s racing scene and catching the attention of major teams.

Joe Gibbs Racing and Day-One Loyalty

Denny Hamlin’s connection to Joe Gibbs Racing is among the most enduring partnerships in NASCAR. Since going full-time in the Cup Series in 2006, Hamlin has driven exclusively for JGR, a rarity in a sport often defined by team changes. His debut season shocked the NASCAR world — winning Rookie of the Year honors and grabbing two wins, including a sweep at Pocono.

That trust was solidified by FedEx, his longtime sponsor, which has remained his primary backer since his very first Cup Series race. Few other drivers in history can claim such unbroken loyalty from both team and sponsor.

The 2010 Heartbreak

Hamlin’s 2010 campaign remains the most agonizing “what if” of his career. After winning eight races that season and entering the final event at Homestead with the points lead, Hamlin was poised to dethrone the dominant Jimmie Johnson.

However, early contact with Greg Biffle’s car sent him spinning and ultimately doomed his title hopes. Johnson surged ahead to win his fifth consecutive championship, while Hamlin was left devastated. It was the closest he’s ever come to the mountaintop — and it still stings.

Daytona Dominance

Though the Cup Series title has evaded him, Hamlin’s resume features one of NASCAR’s most prestigious accomplishments — three Daytona 500 wins. He first conquered the Great American Race in 2016 with a photo-finish victory over Martin Truex Jr.

He returned to win again in 2019 and successfully defended his crown in 2020. These victories placed him in elite company and solidified his reputation as a clutch superspeedway racer, especially on the sport’s grandest stage.

Remarkable Consistency Since 2006

Since becoming a full-time Cup Series driver in 2006, Hamlin has won at least one race in every season except 2018. His longevity is almost unmatched in the modern era. With 56 career Cup Series wins as of June 2, he has surpassed legends like Mark Martin — a fact that cements his statistical legacy.

Notably, no other driver with that many wins has failed to win a championship, making his career both historic and uniquely bittersweet.

Championship-Caliber Playoff Runs

Hamlin has made the Championship 4 — NASCAR’s version of the Final Four — on multiple occasions. In 2014, he fought through to Phoenix but fell short. In 2019 and 2020, he returned to the final round, only to watch other drivers seize the crown.

Despite these near-misses, his repeated presence in the playoff climax proves his elite status year after year. Yet, each trip to the finale without a win deepens the ache of incompletion.

The Weight of Time

Now 44 years old, Hamlin is fully aware of the ticking clock. He has publicly acknowledged that only a few years remain in his competitive driving career. While still physically capable and mentally sharp, the emergence of younger stars and changing team dynamics add urgency to every race.

The “championship or bust” narrative becomes louder with every passing season. Each opportunity now carries the weight of finality — the sense that the next misstep could be the last shot lost.

Co-Owner Ambitions With 23XI Racing

While chasing his own title, Hamlin has also embraced a leadership role in shaping the future of NASCAR. As co-owner of 23XI Racing alongside NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, Hamlin has taken a major step into team ownership.

The team, which fields cars for drivers like Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, represents a significant commitment to growing the sport’s diversity and competitiveness. Hamlin’s dual roles as driver and owner highlight his ambition to leave a broader legacy in NASCAR beyond personal accolades.

Among the Greats Without a Title

Despite all his accomplishments, Hamlin joins a list of elite talents who never reached the championship summit. Mark Martin won 40 races and was a five-time runner-up in points but never sealed the deal. Carl Edwards came within a tiebreaker of winning in 2011. Junior Johnson, a legendary figure and Hall of Famer, captured 50 wins without ever securing a title.

Ricky Rudd, another Virginia native, won 23 races and ran nearly every week of his career without hoisting the championship trophy. Hamlin’s inclusion in this group is both an honor and a burden — a reminder that sometimes greatness and the ultimate reward don’t always align.

Hometown Faith and Virginia Pride

Hamlin’s roots in Chesterfield, Virginia continue to be a core part of his identity. He proudly represents his state, and the fans who grew up watching him rise from dirt tracks to the national spotlight have never wavered in their support.

For those who’ve followed his journey from the local circuits to NASCAR’s biggest stages, the latest Virginia sportsbook deals offer a chance to back their hometown hero as he continues his pursuit of that elusive Cup Series championship. Whether he finally secures the title or not, Hamlin’s roots in Virginia remain a defining part of his legacy.

The 2025 Season So Far

As of June 2025, Hamlin has already added two victories to his storied career, proving that he’s still a contender even in his early 40s. His racecraft remains sharp, and he continues to guide Joe Gibbs Racing’s younger drivers with his wealth of experience.

However, the question lingers: Can he maintain this level of performance through the high-stakes playoff rounds? The pressure is immense, and the expectations are unforgiving. Every lap feels more meaningful. Every race might be the last shot at rewriting the ending of his storied narrative.

The Final Push

Denny Hamlin’s legacy is already built — 56 Cup Series wins, three Daytona 500 trophies, an unbroken career with Joe Gibbs Racing, a loyal fan base in Virginia, and undeniable influence as a driver-owner. He is, without debate, one of NASCAR’s all-time greats. But one final chapter remains unwritten.

The sport’s history books are filled with near-misses, but Hamlin still holds the pen. Whether 2025 becomes the year he finally conquers the summit or ends as another haunting “almost,” fans and rivals alike know they’re watching something rare — a champion in every sense, except the one that shines the brightest.

As most of the garage looks forward to Michigan, for some, thoughts remain focused on a controversial incident at Nashville when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. went spinning off the nose of Carson Hocevar, suffering his first DNF of the season.

Stenhouse was obviously frustrated as he was inside the provisional playoff grid on points before the wreck. For most drivers, this issue wouldn’t raise many eyebrows, but Hocevar has been ruffling feathers throughout the 2025 season. At Nashville, he went on to finish second, knocking on the door of his first NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Keeping the speed while smoothing out the edges

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Images

On SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Jeff Dickerson, who co-owns Hocevar’s No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, offered some insight into the issue. 

“Behind the wheel, he’s doing everything that we’ve asked of him,” said Dickerson.

“I don’t want to slow him down. I mean, we can’t slow him down. We feel like the whole series has kind of looked at us for a few years and been like, ‘what the hell are those guys doing over at Spire?’ Well, now we’re up there. So why would I want to slow that down?”

With that being said, Dickerson admitted that there are some things Hocevar can clean up behind the wheel, saying, “There are some things l’d like him to — maybe round out a couple of the edges. But I don’t want to slow him down. I don’t want him running into the #47 [Stenhouse] there. I want them to cut him a break and let him back in and, you know, kind of show that maturity. But when you look at it, you’re just like, man. I mean, he doesn’t have a ton of laps, you know, still in the Cup car. Over time, he’ll learn to — he’s got to get his nose out of there, not because it was something that he did ‘wrong.’ It was just, why go out of your way to make an enemy that you don’t need to?”

Dickerson went on to praise Stenhouse and the work Hyak Motorsports have done this year as a single-car effort, calling the driver of the #47 a “good friend.”

Hocevar talks about finding the right balance

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images

Fresh off of winning the Money in the Bank 150 super late model race, Hocevar joined SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday, echoing the comments of his team boss.

“I look at Jeff [Dickerson] for not just race car advice, but, like, life advice and everything else in between,” said Hocevar. “So, like, he’s lived it. And he said so many times, I think he said on the DBC [Door Bumper Clear podcast], ‘you can figure it out on your timeline, or my timeline, and l’d like to do my timeline, because I think it’s going to be quicker.’ So yeah, we look, we’ve done it a lot.  We work a lot. Me, Tyler Green [spotter] and Luke Lambert [crew chief], we always sit down. We go through so much stuff.

“They give me all every info they can find, and we work nonstop about just our communication, how we can get better, how we can race others, how we can race ourselves, teammates, everything, right?

Hocevar says several “massive people in the sport” have reached out to him to help the 22-year-old on his journey. He repeated what Dickerson said about wanting to keep the same level of performance without angering as many people.

“We don’t want to change … you don’t want to change. And you know, lose our edge. But, as Jeff had told me multiple times, let’s just round the edges off and have less moments of that and more moments of passing the other 25 cars without hitting them.”

NASCAR now heads to Michigan — Hocevar’s home track. He will be competing in both the Truck and Cup Series races with Spire Motorsports.

HARLAN – The Malvern Bank 360’s with MSTS Winged Sprints were on hand to entertain the fine crowd of fans who attended another great race night at SCS. A total of 111 cars were checked in which included our 5 regular weekly classes and we had a fun and exciting night of action.

Things got underway with Keast Motors IMCA Sport Mods. Heats were taken by Hayden Hillgartner and Kevin Zeitner. In the feature Jim Blazina used his front row start to take the lead and looked good in one of his best runs at SCS. But Cody Olsen who was in hot pursuit, was involved in a accident in turn 4 putting him to the tail of the field. Blazina continued his lead for a time but as the laps wound down newcomer Dylan Cherry of Galva, KS was able to pass Blazina and pick up the win in his first time ever at SCS. Blazina was second Devyn Petersen captured third, Joe Hendricks finished fourth in a great run for Joe and Josh Thomsen rounded out the top five.

In Murphy Equipment IMCA Stock Cars heats were Carson Reinig, Riley Christensen and Austin Meiners. Feature action saw Tyson Partridge take the lead early with Bob Walker in pursuit. Austin Meiners came from his fourth starting spot to get the lead. Meiners who has never won at SCS went on with a strong run for the win. Braden Richards was second closing in, third was taken by Dustin Reeh, fourth to Partridge and Mike Albertsen finished fifth

Then the Malvern Bank 360 Sprints took to the track Heat winners were Alex Vande Voort, Justin Jacobsma and Chase Brown. The Dash was won by Jacobsma. A big Thank You to Performance Grading for the $500 prize donation for the Dash. In an exciting Feature event Sam Henderson picked up the $2000 prize money for winning the feature. Chase Brown captured second place Vande Voort third, Chase Porter finished fourth and Stuart Snyder in fifth place.

Next up KNOD IMCA Hobby Stock action saw heats won by Jeff Fink and Dayton Ullrich. In yet another great race Jeff Fink emerged as the winner with Joel Magee finishing second in a good run, third place went to Colby Christensen who gained 11 spots coming through the pack, fourth to Ullrich and Jason Tetzlaff placed fifth.

Next were the Sorensen Equipment IMCA Late Models. SCS has some of the best Late Model racing to be had anywhere. Heat winners were Jordan Krug, Jarrett Getzschman and Brett Hopp. In a fantastic feature Allan Hopp picked up the feature at the checkered flag nipping second place Jordan Krug, Zach Zeitner finished third , Micah Brown in fourth and Logan Cloudt in fifth. This was a great win for Hopp as he came from the 8th starting position and the finish had everybody on the edge of their seats.

Lastly The Atlantic Bottling Coca-Cola IMCA Sport Compacts we had another great field of cars. Heats were taken by. John Logan, Caine Mahlberg and Zach Day. Feature action saw Jim Cahill as the early leader of the race but Braxton Wallace was able to get the lead and looked like he was going to win. But Caine Mahlberg was able to run him down and pick up yet another win. Wallace finished second, Tanner Hoffman third, Andrew Rolf fourth and Zach Day rounded out the top 5.

It truly was a fun night of racing action. Be on hand next week June 7 for Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, Stock Cars and Sport compact action. Late Models are off. Then on Sunday we will have our first of two Figure 8 races at SCS. Racing will be at 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Make sure you follow us on Facebook and watch replays on IMCA.TV.

LEBANON (AP) — Ryan Blaney and Team Penske have been fast with his No. 12 Ford Mustang this year only to have races slip away when it mattered most.

Not Sunday night.

Blaney ran away down the stretch for his first Cup Series victory of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway, then he celebrated with a burnout in front of the roaring fans after what he called a rough year.

“I’m ready to go celebrate,” Blaney said.

The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to victory lane for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November after leading a race-high 139 laps.

“I never gave up hope that’s for sure,” Blaney said. “We’ve had great speed all year. It just hasn’t really been the best year for us as far as good fortune. But (No.) 12 boys are awesome. They stick with it no matter how it goes.”

He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville. He also gave Team Penske a second straight Cup win at Nashville’s 1.33-mile concrete track.

Blaney, who started 15th, quickly drove his way to the front as he won the second stage. He easily held off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Hocevar matched his career-best finish at Atlanta in February after complaining during the race that his No. 77 Chevrolet was undriveable.

“Either I’m really dramatic or they’re really good on adjustments,” Hocevar said. “Probably a little bit of both, but, yeah, proud of this group proud of this car. A place that is really, really difficult to pass, we’re able to go 26th to second.”

Denny Hamlin finished third in his 700th career Cup Series race, matching the third-place finish by Jeff Gordon at Darlington in 2013 for the best finish in a driver’s 700th race. Joey Logano, who won here last year, was fourth and William Byron fifth.

Hamlin was hoping for one more caution that never came after seven cautions for 35 laps.

“Just couldn’t run with the 12 (Blaney) there in the super long run,” Hamlin said. “After 40 laps, I could maintain with him. But then after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.”

There was a sprint to the finish under green forcing teams and drivers to pick and choose went to pit. Blaney had led 107 laps when he went to the pits under green flag on lap 248. Hamlin took the lead before going to pit road on lap 256.

Crew chief Jonathan Hassler said they decided on Blaney’s fifth and final pit stop trying to make sure he could get back out into the cleanest air possible.

“It was really nice just to finish off a race,” Hassler said.

Brad Keselowski had the lead when he went to the pits on lap 269. Blaney took the lead for the final 31 laps.

Waiting on a call

Hamlin raced Sunday night hoping to take advantage of his starting spot spot beside pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Whether Hamlin would chase his third win this season had been in question with his third child, a boy, due the same day.

Hamlin practiced and qualified well, so he drove his No. 11 Toyota even as Joe Gibbs Racing had Ryan Truex on standby in case Hamlin got the call that his fiancee was in labor. Hamlin won the first stage and survived the final stretch without water or fresh air.

Tyler Reddick beat his boss Hamlin, a co-owner of his 23XI Racing team, to new parent status, which Reddick announced on social media earlier Sunday.

His family welcomed their second son at 2:20 a.m. on May 25, then Reddick followed up hours later by finishing 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

Early night

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. didn’t finish his first race this year. He was the first out when Hocevar tapped his No. 47 Chevrolet, spinning Stenhouse into the wall between Turns 3 and 4 for the second caution of the race on lap 106.

Punishment and more penalties possible?

AJ Allmendinger started at the back of the field and served a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag for an unapproved adjustment to the splitter during Saturday’s practice. His No. 16 Chevrolet was sent back to the garage and then the scanning station before practice and qualifying.

The No. 66 Ford of Chad Finchum failed inspection twice leading to engineer Austin Webb’s ejection. The Garage 66 team also lost pit stall selection.

Up next

NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway for the Cup Series on June 8.

Andrea Brimmer, CMO at Ally Financial, is the guest on this week’s SBJ Sports Media Podcast that comes out Thursday morning. Speaking with SBJ’s Mollie Cahillane, Brimmer walks through why many of the properties that Ally sponsors make sense from a media perspective.

But she also discussed some other pure sponsorship angles. Below are some of those responses, edited for brevity and clarity.

On using NASCAR driver Alex Bowman‘s No. 48 car in March as promotional vehicle for 3-on-3 women’s hoops league Unrivaled (Ally is a sponsor of both):

“We’ve done this thing that we called Unexpected Allies for the last several years, and it really is this mashup of things that people would never expect to see. And Unrivaled was a great example. So we activated the Homestead race, which as you know is in Miami. And as you know, Unrivaled had their inaugural season in Miami. That was a natural point of inflection that made a lot of sense to us. The other aspect of it was how do we cross over and bring fans of women’s basketball and fans of NASCAR together? And then we used Sophia Chang to design the car and we had [Breanna Stewart] and a variety of different players that came out there, and Stewie was actually super instrumental in the design of the car. She made a great suggestion to have all the Unrivaled players’ names listed on the back of the vehicle. So we were able to do that and it was just a fun way to bring two worlds together.”

On replacing U.S. Bank as a WNBA sponsor this season:

“We really needed to wait until that relationship expired. I’ve been having conversations with the WNBA for years expressing our interest. And so for us, it was really just a waiting game and getting to a place where we had the opportunity to come in and negotiate in a fiercely competitive category. There were a lot of other banks that would have loved to have taken that WNBA sponsorship in the financial services category. … From the WNBA’s lens, they think having Ally involved says something about the WNBA, given our strong footprint and our strong commitment to women’s sports. And for us, being able to have the two biggest professional leagues in women’s sports with NWSL and WNBA is just another double down on our commitment to make meaningful change in the women’s sports space.”

The pursuit for adventure is common across Utah. As a state renowned for natural beauty, many have journeyed through its iconic roads, beautiful dunes, incredible snow and elevated trails. It’s for this reason that an industry dedicated to increasing thrill has become synonymous with touring the area’s vast landscape — the one for powersports vehicles.

For many Utahn’s, owning a new ATV, motorcycle, personal watercraft, snowmobile, dirt bike or side-by-side is a common goal. It’s for this reason that financial institutions such as Goldenwest Credit Union work to make machines like these easier to acquire.

“We recognize that for a lot of our members, these vehicles are more than just amenities,” said Laurie Stuart, senior vice president at Goldenwest Credit Union. “We’ve been able to develop some exciting powersports financing options as well as insurance offers to improve the owning experience for both new and used buyers.”

Offering identical loan rates for all powersports vehicles, Goldenwest’s financing options start at a 7.99% fixed APR for 72 months*. Those looking at potential plans can determine what a monthly payment may look like through the calculator on their site, providing insight on what may be most fiscally responsible. Borrowers are not subject to any application fees, and can sign documents electronically from their home.

Those looking to buy a machine can also access financing from Goldenwest Credit Union at several motorsports dealerships, including all eight Young Powersports locations.

“One of the reasons we love working with Goldenwest Credit Union is that they’re able to deliver timely service to our customers and meet their needs,” said Nate Gailey, general manager of Young Powersports XL Centerville. “They’ve not only been able to help several individuals acquire the machine they’ve dreamed of, but have also been able to provide them with the insurance they need.”

An operation under the same umbrella as the credit union, Goldenwest Insurance Services has crafted compelling options for both motorcycle riders as well as owners of other powersports vehicles. Providing, free, no-obligation quotes, the business offers coverage discounts for those who already have existing policies in place.

“Within the last 10 years especially, innovations across the powersports industry have turned these machines into more of a significant investment. With that said, these vehicles are still placed in challenging conditions where accidents can happen,” said Randy Ferlin, assistant vice president with Goldenwest Insurance Services. “Whether a buyer is looking to keep their machine long-term, or just until another upgrade is available, it’s important to protect their purchase as the financial asset that it is.”

Those interested in financing a machine as well as buying insurance can speak with a lender and agent at most of their branches across Utah and Idaho. According to Goldenwest, a benefit of using their organization for both services is that the two operations can work together to provide members with optimal service.

Founded in Utah, Goldenwest is currently celebrating its 89th anniversary. Known for their exceptional understanding of the area’s economy and the traditional financial needs of residents, the business recently earned their thirteenth Best of State award in the “Credit Union” category.

“Like any borrowers, riders are typically looking for the most financially responsible way to buy a vehicle,” said Stuart. “What we’ve worked to do at Goldenwest is provide them with a trusted partner who can show them the best options for both purchasing and beyond.”

Visit Goldenwest Credit Union’s site to learn more about lending and insurance opportunities.

*Annual Percentage Rate (APR) as low as 7.99% available for well-qualified buyers for terms up to 72 months. Rates and terms subject to credit review and could change without notice. Visit gwcu.org or call 801-621-4550 for current rates and terms. Equal opportunity lender.