Piloting the Next Gen cars at great speeds around ovals requires tough mental and physical fitness, making age an important factor in NASCAR Cup Series racing. However, some drivers like Denny Hamlin have shown they are special by keeping up a high level of performance despite surpassing the average age at which things decline.
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Through his performances, Hamlin has even managed to influence the mindset of other drivers. Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott spoke to the press at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend about how the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has inspired him to consider racing well into his 40s.
Hamlin turns 45 this year and is a contender for the championship. He has won four races this season and is sitting in third place in the standings. Naturally, Elliott, who is only 29 now, has nothing but admiration for the veteran and is drawing inspiration from Hamlin when making plans about his future.
“If you do it right, I guess you can make it last however long you want,” he said. When asked if he would race at that age (45), Elliott responded, “Yeah, I don’t know. I really don’t know. Maybe.
“I think that when you look at a career like his, he’s been winning and having those types of seasons a lot throughout the course of his career, which I think equals a lot of fun, when you’re in a battle like that. I hope that we can be competitive for a long time,” he added.
So, in essence, Elliott will be a part of the game as long as he can keep winning and make things interesting. The No. 9 driver is currently at the top of the 2025 Cup Series points table with 726 points after the Brickyard 400. He has won one race, collected seven top-five finishes, and 12 top-10s.
And Elliott still has a long while to go before worrying about age hindering his performance. For Hamlin, though, despite his stellar run, the time to call it a day draws near.
When will Hamlin consider retirement?
For Hamlin, it is all about how bored he is. He spoke to the media candidly about his thoughts on retirement ahead of the Brickyard 400 and stated that he wouldn’t jump out of the pool completely.
“I just don’t see myself as someone that is able to go from this crazy world and life that I live with all these things to then just shutting it down to zero. So I think I need to just feel those first few months out,” said Hamlin.
So, when could he take that decision to begin stepping away? The answer is pretty obvious.
Hamlin reiterated that the thought would take hold of his mind only when his performances start to decline. Right now, it doesn’t look like they have, with the 2025 Cup Series championship still well within his reach.
