NASCAR Driver Denny Hamlin’s Dad Dennis Hamlin Killed in House Fire

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Denny Hamlin is grieving an unimaginable loss. 

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s father, Dennis Hamlin, passed away on December 28th following injuries sustained in a house fire. He was 75 years old. Denny’s mother, Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, is currently hospitalized in critical condition.

At 6:27 AM local time, emergency crews responded to a house fire at the home of the Hamlin family in Gaston County, North Carolina. NASCAR officials reported that two people managed to get out of the burning house, but they had serious injuries and were immediately taken to the hospital.

The next day, the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services announced Dennis had passed away. Mary Lou was taken to a hospital in Winston-Salem, which is approximately 80 miles north of Charlotte.

A fire completely destroyed a family’s four-bedroom home, according to WCNC, which cited the Lucia-Riverbend Fire Department. Firefighters took almost two hours to put out the blaze because of limited water access. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

For 45-year-old Denny, his father’s dedication has always been central to his achievements. He often speaks about how his dad took out several mortgages and used all available credit to help fund his son’s pursuit of a racing career.

After winning his 60th race, Hamlin shared a touching story about his father, explaining, “He’s the reason I started racing. He first took me to a track when I was five years old, and then he made huge financial sacrifices to support my dream. They sold everything they owned, and we nearly lost our house a couple of times, all so I could keep racing.”

The father of three shared that his dad consistently tells him he’s the best, win or lose. He described his dad as a very supportive and enthusiastic person, and they recently spent time together in his garage looking at old keepsakes, which brought back fond memories. He’s really appreciating the time they spend together each week.

As a huge Denny Hamlin fan, it really touched me when he recently shared that his father is seriously ill. He said he’s cherishing every moment with him, and it’s clear that’s driving him even more as he heads into the championship race in November. It makes you root for him even harder!

He explained that this was his final opportunity for his father to witness it, and he didn’t want his dad to pass away without seeing it happen.

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2025-12-30 18:17