Denny Hamlin likely to script history for Joe Gibbs Racing

Modified Apr 13, 2025 02:23 GMT

NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Race at Martinsville - Source: Imagn — Denny Hamlin (11) reacts after his win at the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway - Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin is on the verge of making NASCAR history at the Food City 500 in Bristol, Tennessee. After back-to-back wins at Martinsville and Darlington, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is now chasing a third-straight victory. The run is possible, especially because Hamlin has had a strong record at Bristol, where he has four career wins.

If Denny Hamlin wins Sunday’s (April 13) race, he’ll become the second Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver this season to win three straight NASCAR Cup Series races, joining teammate Christopher Bell. It would be the first time in Cup Series history that two drivers from the same team have pulled off three-race win streaks in a single season. For Hamlin personally, it would be his first time winning three in a row in his Cup career.

Joe Gibbs Racing came into the 2025 season without a win in its last 18 races. But the team has bounced back fast, with five wins in the first eight races of the year. Hamlin has been central to that turnaround. A win at Bristol would be his 57th Cup Series victory, pushing him past Kyle Busch as the winningest driver in JGR history.

Denny Hamlin credits his team’s consistency for putting them in a position to close strong. He told Sports Illustrated after Darlington:

“Last week was domination, but there hasn’t been a lot of dominating Gibbs wins this year.”

“We had two times that we had the best car and won the race. Then we’ve had other things kind of just fall our way,” Hamlin added.

Still, he praised the No. 11 team for delivering when it counts, saying:

“If we can win races where we have a seventh to 10th place car, I feel good about going out there and executing when we’ve got the best car.”

Hamlin’s next test comes at Bristol, a track he knows well. He won last spring’s race and has four Cup wins there, three of which came in his last eight starts. He has led 1,199 laps at the track, the third-most in his career.

Denny Hamlin talks about his NASCAR career built on sacrifice and struggle

Before becoming a NASCAR mainstay, Hamlin's early racing career was possible due to family sacrifice. On the On Track with Annie podcast, he opened up about the financial challenges of getting into racing.

“You have to buy a car and the tires and the fuel and the engine when it blows or you crash—you gotta keep fixing it. So it takes a lot of funding,”

Denny Hamlin grew up in a middle-class household. His dad, Dennis, worked at Great Dane Tractor Trailers, while his mom, Mary Lou Clark, worked at AAA Travel. Despite their limited income, they bet everything on Denny Hamlin's dream. They mortgaged their home to support his racing. His dad worked as his mechanic and crew chief, while his mom managed travel and finances.

The gamble paid off. In 2003, Hamlin dominated Late Model races across the Carolinas and Virginia, winning 25 of 35 events. That success caught Joe Gibbs' attention.

“At that point, that caught the eye of Joe Gibbs Racing, who I race for today,” Hamlin said [7:05 onwards].

By 2004, Denny Hamlin was full-time in the Xfinity Series. A year later, he reached the Cup Series. Since then, he’s had 56 Cup wins, 18 Xfinity wins, and has spent over 20 years with JGR.

About the author

Dipti Sood is a Motorsport journalist at Sportskeeda with over three years of experience. A Political Science graduate and aspiring law professional, her love for motorsports ignited when she began following the careers of her favorite F1 drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.

Dipti has previously worked with Sportskeeda in the US Olympics static department, which sparked her interest in sports writing. Her professional journey also includes work with a sports startup, where she honed her copywriting skills. These experiences, combined with her meticulous approach to research and fact-checking, enable her to deliver accurate, ethical, and engaging content.

To stay updated with the latest in motorsports, Dipti follows credible sources such as ESPN, Autosport, and RacingNews365, along with respected journalists like Chris Medland. She also keeps an eye on official social media handles to uncover fresh perspectives.

Outside of writing, Dipti enjoys reading, watching documentaries, and listening to podcasts. A constructors fan with a soft spot for certain drivers, she dreams of witnessing the return of the Buddh International Circuit to the F1 calendar, bringing the excitement of Formula 1 back to India.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar