Denny Hamlin Addresses Retirement Rumors as 2024 NASCAR Season Ends

With the 2024 NASCAR season at a close, driver Denny Hamlin finds himself answering rumors of retirement. Hamlin, who has been a fixture in the NASCAR Cup Series since his debut in 2005, turned 44 this year, making him one of the sport’s elder statesmen.

After recent retirements of drivers like Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr., Hamlin maintains a strong performance with three wins this year, including a victory at the Busch Light Clash.

Denny Hamlin has long been a popular figure in NASCAR, driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing with a career boasting 54 Cup Series wins and numerous top-10 finishes. As he approaches an age where many drivers consider stepping down, the rumors about his potential retirement are gaining traction, particularly in light of the retirements of fellow racers Harvick and Truex Jr., with the latter ending a winless season this year. Hamlin, however, has shown no immediate signs of slowing down.

During a conversation on the “Actions Detrimental” podcast with Steve Letarte, Hamlin addressed the retirement rumors head-on, sharing insights into his mindset following challenging races.

“Only on Mondays when I feel like shit. I have a bad race, my body hurts, and it’s like, uh, man,” he said. Yet, he admitted the unparalleled thrill of competition as a driving force: “But every Sunday, I get in that car and I’m like, ‘I got a chance to win.’ And that’s just something that’s going to be hard for me to give up.”

Despite the appeal of retirement, Hamlin remains motivated by his role in the ownership of 23XI Racing, where he finds satisfaction in crafting a successful team.

“Now, I would take a lot of pride in being the owner of 23XI knowing that, alright I had my hands in all parts of building this team from scratch,” Hamlin continued. “It’s still different than doing it yourself. I think I would struggle with that part of it.”

Hamlin’s 2024 season has been mixed. Although he started strong, his championship hopes were dashed by a mechanical failure and a wreck during practice at the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville. He finished the season in eighth place, the lowest since 2018, after a tougher second half that saw an average finish of 25.6 between Sonoma and Chicago. His recent lack of sponsorship renewal from FedEx adds an additional layer of uncertainty to his future with Joe Gibbs Racing.

“When those that choose to retire, they know. I’m not in the know,” Hamlin ended.