Two days after experiencing the most difficult moment in his racing career, Denny Hamlin says he is not yet prepared to get back behind the wheel. Fortunately, he has about three months to recover.
Hamlin was just under three laps away from clinching the 2025 Cup Series championship when William Byron’s crash brought out a caution. During the pit stop, Hamlin opted for four new tires and restarted in ninth place. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t catch Kyle Larson, who started fifth and finished second, ultimately taking the title.
Though Larson didn’t lead any laps that day, he outperformed the other three championship contenders. Hamlin dominated by leading 208 of the 319 laps.
After a disappointing 2025 season, Hamlin, who recently extended his contract through 2027, announced before the NASCAR awards show that he plans to race next season. However, at the moment, he’s not thinking about driving.
“I have a contract, but I’m not focused on race cars right now. I need time,” Hamlin said. “The offseason is a bit longer this year because the banquet is two weeks earlier, so I’ll get through this, but it will take some time.”
This marks the fifth time Hamlin has made it to the Championship 4 but failed to win the title. In 2010, he led the points going into the final race of the 10-race championship format but couldn’t seal the deal. Hamlin admitted this loss cut deeper than others.
Hamlin racked up six wins in 2025 and now holds 60 career victories—the most among drivers without a championship. The effort it takes to reach this level weighs heavily on him.
“I can’t imagine going through all the work I did to get here again,” Hamlin shared. “If I try again, I don’t see how I can do it.”
Still in disbelief, Hamlin reflected on his many near misses due to mechanical failures and unusual circumstances. Yet, he knew he gave his best effort in the final laps.
“I knew it was over with five laps to go. I didn’t have a trophy, but I performed the best I could in this format,” he said.
Hamlin agreed with NASCAR’s decision to call a caution for Byron’s crash and believed his crew chief made the right call choosing four tires, even though the strategy cost him track position.
“If we had known it would be nine or ten tires, we would have changed our strategy,” Hamlin explained. “Chris Gayle wouldn’t have just accepted starting ninth.”
Seeing Larson on the track after the two-lap overtime restart confirmed to Hamlin that Larson would win. He said he didn’t notice Larson in front of him until the white flag lap.
Despite being competitors, Hamlin and Larson are friends, and Hamlin attended Larson’s victory celebration. He expressed respect for Larson and hoped he could have won under similar circumstances.
“I want people to know Larson deserved to be champion. I supported him because of our friendship, even though I was hurting,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin didn’t stay long at the celebration and dreaded the upcoming awards ceremony, where losing teams must applaud the winners.
“That will be tough, sitting there for two hours,” he admitted.
Bob Pockras covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports.
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Fan Take: This story highlights the emotional and physical toll of competing at the highest levels of NASCAR. For fans, Hamlin’s perseverance and sportsmanship add a human element to the sport, reminding us that beyond the competition, the passion and rivalry between drivers drive NASCAR’s enduring appeal.
