INDIANAPOLIS – Denny Hamlin always knew he wanted to continue his career with Joe Gibbs Racing. A two-year contract extension could seal this commitment. On Friday, five days after securing his 58th Cup victory, 44-year-old Hamlin signed what will presumably be his final contract extension. JGR representatives indicated that the agreement spans several years, although Hamlin preferred not to commit for more than two.
There are no signs that Hamlin is declining in performance. This season, he has four wins, the most in the series, and leads the overall standings with 663 points, only surpassed by Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Kyle Larson. If Hamlin wins the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, he would complete a significant achievement in his career by conquering all of NASCAR’s most prestigious races. Hamlin has already triumphed in three Daytona 500s, three Southern 500s, and one Coca-Cola 600. Adding another jewel in the crown would be great and complete the collection. The names on that list are very prestigious, so it would mean a lot to me. It would be another achievement in my career. Since his debut in 2005, Hamlin has achieved almost everything except a series title. With 706 race participations, all with JGR, he is the driver with the most time on the team, despite missing a race this year after the birth of his third child. He is ranked 11th on the Cup wins list. In addition, he has 244 top-five finishes and 369 top-ten finishes, and has achieved pole position 44 times. Alongside NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, he co-owns the NASCAR team 23XI Racing, which competes with Bubba Wallace, Riley Herbst, and Tyler Reddick. Hamlin’s team and Front Row Motorsports are in a legal dispute over allegations of anti-competitive practices against NASCAR. Hamlin also admitted that he is not yet ready to retire, and might not be in two years. He wants to assess how he feels outside the driver’s seat, knowing that comebacks are common in this sport. If he reconsiders his decision, he could even return to JGR. Joe Gibbs expressed his recognition of Hamlin and his contribution to the organization. He highlighted the special connection forged over two decades, from when J.D. Gibbs recognized his talent in a test session to the present. He emphasized Hamlin’s exceptional career in the sport, competing at the highest level for so long, and expressed his satisfaction with his complete career with the team. Hamlin’s decision is also based on other factors.Two years is what I was comfortable with. I wanted to make sure I gave them the right amount of time and commit to them for several years, to allow them to continue building the program. I want to be in my best shape in my final year.
Denny Hamlin
I would like to see where I am in two years, how the team is doing, what their Plan B is, how they are doing with that and how competitive I feel, how good I feel and how much I want it. All those are important factors. But I want to have the ability to know that I can win my last race. That is the deciding factor.
Denny Hamlin
