The professional disappointment of Denny Hamlin failing to win the 2025 Cup Series championship feels like a grain of sand compared to what he endured in the weeks that followed. He lost his father in a house fire and is currently caring for his mother, who suffered severe injuries in the same incident. Most people would have given up. Kevin Harvick, however, opined that Hamlin Sr. would not have wanted that for his son.
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Denny has continued to show remarkable strength, and Harvick spoke about that admirable resilience on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast. Championships can always be won, but losing a father is an utterly devastating pain. Moreover, Hamlin and his father, Desomnnis, shared a very special relationship. It was the belief the elder Hamlin had in his son’s ability that helped shape one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers.
So, every win and every achievement Hamlin made, he owed it to his father. Throughout the latter half of last season, NASCAR fans saw Hamlin fighting to keep his father healthy while facing the antitrust lawsuit in court. It made everyone, including Harvick, question why so many hardships were being put on one person.
Harvick said, “I don’t think anybody would have blamed him if he’d just said, ‘I am gonna walk away.’ … I don’t know that Denny’s dad would have wanted anything more than for him to go out there and do what he loved to do.
“The legacy that they were able to build together and see it blossom into a career and a life that Denny has now,” he added.
Morality is one of the biggest reasons why Hamlin is pushing himself to be a lot stronger and stay in the race car. He was recently asked in a Fox Sports interview if he had considered not racing after all the things that had happened. He admitted that he had, but then there was one thing that kept stopping him.
Hamlin said, “I made a promise to Joe [Gibbs]. And the Gibbs family.”
It is simply to keep his end of a promise that he will climb into the No. 11 Toyota Camry in 2026. Weeks ahead of the season-opening Daytona 500, he has admitted that he is not yet fully locked in mentally to take things head-on, but he strongly believes he will be in due course.
His mother, Mary Lou, is recovering from her injuries. Hamlin said she has good days and bad days, but he hopes she will eventually be alright. The stock car racing community continues to offer its unwavering support to the veteran during these difficult times.
