$65M-worth Denny Hamlin discloses when and from whom he received his ‘first actual paycheck’

For the last 20 years, NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin has been under payroll at Joe Gibbs Racing, own of the winningest teams in the sport. However, the first check he received as an employee wasn’t from JGR, or even racing, for that matter.

Recently, the veteran racer hosted an online Q&A session with his fans on Instagram. One of the questions read: “Did you ever work retail or fast food back in the day?” Turns out that Hamlin used to work at Subway back in 1996. That’s also when he was handed his first official paycheck. In his Instagram story, Hamlin answered the question, saying,

“First actual paycheck was from Subway. 1996. #SandwichArtist”

Denny Hamlin was focusing on high school at the time, while running a handful of go-kart and mini-stock races here and there. Today, he is one of the most sought-after drivers in NASCAR with a staggering net worth of $65 million (as per Celebrity Net Worth). With 56 wins already to his name, the Tampa, Florida native owns a race team alongside former NBA legend Michael Jordan.

Denny Hamlin’s most recent win (as a driver) came this year in April during NASCAR’s throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. His first triumph of the 2025 season came at Martinsville on March 30. Hamlin currently sits second in the driver standings with five top-fives, six top-10s, and 316 points to his name.

Could Denny Hamlin’s teammate Ty Gibbs’ partnership with a $12.67 billion sponsor spell disaster for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025?

Denny Hamlin and his No. 11 team at Joe Gibbs Racing suffered a significant financial blow when their longtime partner, FedEx, exited the camp after the 2024 season. Luckily, they landed a deal with Progressive Insurance for the next 18 months.

Side by side, Ty Gibbs, driver of the No. 54 and Hamlin’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, teamed up with Saia Inc. under a multi-year partnership. Team owner Joe Gibbs was particularly happy about it. He said in a statement (via Forbes),

“Saia is going to have hospitalities and we’re going to be representing their company. It’s exciting for us, and it becomes a crucial part of our race team, making sure we do everything we can to enhance that company. We’re going to bring some new partners to their doorstep.”

“We couldn’t be happier to have them on board with us. They’re a leader in transportation,” Gibbs added.

However, the company reported poor profits for the first quarter of 2025, causing the value of their stocks to fall by an alarming 32 per cent. On the NASCAR side of things, this means that the future of the team could be in jeopardy.