Denny Hamlin looked like a crushed man when he climbed out of his car at Phoenix Raceway. After 312 laps of near perfection, a late caution and a pit call gone wrong left him sixth on the board. He fell short in the championship chase once again and, needless to say, left heartbroken.
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For Hamlin, the sting runs deeper than numbers on a scoreboard. This was the title he had wanted not just for himself but for his ailing father, Dennis Hamlin, the man who had put every dime and every dream into Denny’s racing career.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes that only his father can console the veteran star after his loss in Phoenix.
Speaking on his podcast, Dale Jr. said, “I think the only thing that might be out there for him is if he were to have a conversation with his dad… If his dad gets a chance to really, truly tell him how proud of him he is, for the career he’s had, for the success that he’s created.”
Dale Jr. reminded fans of just how much sacrifice went into building Hamlin’s career. Hamlin’s parents had put everything on the line, mortgaging their home, scraping together resources, and spending countless weekends at local racetracks just so their son could chase a dream.
“If there’s anybody that could ever make Denny feel somewhat better or just at least be able to like move beyond and continue to do kick-ass things, it would be probably his dad telling him what you did was enough for me,” said Junior.
“And so hopefully that happens, and I’m sure it will. But I’m just thinking I think that’s probably the only person in the world that could probably actually take a little bit of this thing out for him,” he added.
That conversation might prove cathartic for Hamlin. And he needs it. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran had stated after the race that he didn’t want to get back behind the wheel for a while.
Dale Jr. believes Hamlin’s heartbreak might be clouding his outlook. He stated that this feeling of giving up won’t last, as it might be a temporary emotion. Junior was confident that time would reignite Hamlin’s competitive fire.
At 44, Hamlin still has the skill, the drive, and the hunger to chase the one trophy that has eluded him. And when he does return, it won’t just be for himself. It will be for the man who gave everything so that Hamlin could live life in the fast lane.
