Can Denny Hamlin match the legend? Dale Earnhardt claimed his 60th win at the TransSouth Financial 400 in Darlington, dominating 166 laps as only the Intimidator could. Fast forward to today, and Denny Hamlin finally stepped up by winning his 60th race at the Las Vegas Speedway. And with his spot confirmed in the Championship 4 and momentum on his side, Junior believes Hamlin has what it takes to chase and maybe even equal his father’s iconic record.

With six wins, a shot at his first title, and a multi-year Joe Gibbs Racing deal through 2027, Hamlin’s 2025 season has been nothing short of electric. The 44-year-old has it all; however, he plans to retire full-time after two years. But with Dale Junior eyeing a different record for him, Hamlin might just chase it.

Speaking on the Dale Junior Download podcast, the NASCAR legend said, ” Yeah. So, that’s what I’m thinking. I mean, if the guy’s still winning races, he quit in that final year. I don’t think he I don’t think you can. I think he keeps racing. Yeah. Cuz there’s other targets out there, right? You look up there and my dad’s up there about 16 more wins and you know there if he could even get even close to sniffing you know, he’d go, how would you not wanna tie that guy. You could really say hell, ‘I won as many races as Dale Earnhardt.’ I mean not many people can say that.” 

Richard Petty is maybe the legend to have collected over 200 wins from the Stock Nationals to the modern era, but the list gets shorter as one moves up the ladder. Dale Earnhardt recorded 76 wins, with his last one coming at Talladega Superspeedway 25 years ago. In a remarkable display of skill, he passed 17 cars in the last laps to clinch the win. This victory marked his last before his tragic passing in the 2001 Daytona 500.

However, Denny Hamlin could achieve his 76th win. Hypothetically, if Hamlin retains this consistency in wins, by 2027, he could rack up 12 more wins, just 4 shy of the Intimidator’s 76th mark. But as fate has it, Hamlin could either end up equaling or even breaking Earnhardt’s record. Currently, he is tied with the 2014 Cup Series champion, Kevin Harvick.

This win meant more to Hamlin than anybody. The No. 11 driver dedicated this win to his ailing father, as he broke down in tears post-race. This win also marks the first time since 2021 that the JGR driver maintains a spot in the finale at Phoenix. This definitely gives him a shot to get his long-elusive first Cup title. And Dale Junior knows all about winning for your father.

Junior couldn’t help but heap praise on Hamlin’s vulnerability about his father’s health and balancing racing. He added, “His dad can see his son check these boxes after all the sacrifice. Then he talked in length about the sacrifice that his family made mortgaging the house multiple times, the arguments in the kitchen over how much more they could they could possibly do or be willing to do to to further Denny’s career. Very transparent you know for Denny to kind of be that open and share.”

Hamlin hasn’t had it easy this year either. Right from his father’s deteriorating health to the 23XI racing lawsuit, Hamlin has been through it all. However, his grit, determination, and hard work definitely make him the favorite for this year’s championship. But as Hamlin gets closer to his father with these wins, Dale Junior is facing another issue with his own father’s company recently.

Dale Earnhardt Jr’s DEI joy was short-lived, as a rare moment is gone in a flash

Dale Junior recently caught a bittersweet glimpse of his past when photos from inside the Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) complex surfaced online, only to vanish shortly after. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, the DEI complex houses relics from the Earnhardt family’s storied racing history. After Dale Sr.’s tragic death in the 2001 Daytona 500, control of DEI passed down to his wife and Dale Junior’s stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt.

Under her leadership, the team declined and shut down by 2009 shortly after Junior left the No. 8 car for Hendrick Motorsports, a move that strained family ties, and eventually Junior and his sister Kelley lost access to the property that housed their family’s memorabilia and their father’s gravesite.

Last week, a Reddit user on the r/NASCAR forum posted photos from a private tour of the DEI grounds, which have remained closed to the public since the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the images was Dale Junior’s iconic No. 8 DEI car, something he thought was long gone.

Reflecting on his DJD podcast, Junior was more than happy, saying, “I was just glad to know that stuff’s still well taken care of. It made me feel good that some of my cars are still there, like in the front. When you go, and you’re looking back, they still celebrate all of the history.”

However, the nostalgic photos were soon deleted. The Reddit user explained in a follow-up post titled “Why I took the DI photos down” that they weren’t pressured by DEI or the Earnhardt Foundation to remove them, but it was out of courtesy.

The user wrote, “I was asked since the foundation was getting flooded with emails. It was a courtesy deal. The foundation was very accommodating while we were there and it was a special opportunity for us and I’m glad I got to share them for a little while with everyone on here. I’m just hesitant about posting them again because I don’t want to stress the foundation out with all the emails they’ll get. But I willingly took them down.”

Junior’s acknowledgment of the photos may have prompted fans to contact the property, hoping for renewed access or a potential reopening. Still, with the images gone, many have lost hope that the DEI complex and its deep connection to NASCAR history will ever again be open to the public.