Denny Hamlin just wishes for one thing more than his first Cup championship. Dennis Hamlin, the No. 11 driver’s father, has been dealing with an undisclosed illness for several months now. The 44-year-old has spoken about his father’s condition multiple times, first mentioning it last month after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WTT Raceway. Standing tall in Victory Lane, Hamlin shouted out to his dad.

And one month later, history was made. After Hamlin won the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he got emotional when the checkered flag was waved, and once again dedicated the milestone win to his father. His 60th win, which locked him into the Championship 4, definitely made it much sweeter for the father-son duo. But as things get more serious, Hamlin is praying for his father to stick around to see him get his first Cup title.

Denny Hamlin gives an honest admission about his parents’ health amid

Speaking on the NASCAR official podcast on Thursday, Hamlin acknowledged the sacrifices his father made for him. He said, “We talk about, you know, how he’s feeling and stuff. And yeah, it’s extremely difficult, right? It’s when you kind of see, and I’m at that age where, you know, your parents are not as healthy as they once were. Um, you know, and it’s hard because I certainly know the sacrifice that he and my mom, you know, gave towards my career, and it just…I just want him to hang on long enough to see it all the way through.” 

It’s no secret that Hamlin’s journey to NASCAR success is deeply rooted in the sacrifices made by his parents.  This determination was evident as they risked financial stability, often relying on credit cards and second mortgages to support his racing aspirations. Hamlin vividly recalls the emotional strain, noting the frequent arguments between his parents, his mother expressing doubt, and his father urging perseverance.

The combination of these sacrifices was evident when Hamlin achieved his milestone career win at Las Vegas last weekend. And now he hopes that his father can hang on for longer, as he heads to Phoenix. And if Hamlin does claim his first-ever cup title, they can finally break the glass case on the long-awaited cigar.

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On an episode of Netflix’s NASCAR: Full Speed, Dennis Hamlin reflected on his son’s success at the top level of racing and his connection with basketball legend Michael Jordan. While discussing Hamlin and Jordan’s friendship, he revealed that Jordan once gifted him an assigned cigar to celebrate Denny’s accomplishments.

Dennis recalled, “Michael Jordan signed it for me and wrote me a little letter [that] says, ‘Break it when we win the championship.’I’m supposed to break that thing and smoke that cigar. I guess that’s what I’m gonna do. And I’d give you everything I own, every car in this garage, a house, whatever, if I could make that happen.”

Later, Denny Hamlin shared his perspective on the moment and his hopes for the future, knowing the cigar still sits untouched in its case. The veteran racer said, “I hope my dad’s health hangs in there long enough for him to be able to experience that. Because I’d love to see the excitement on my dad’s face if he gets to break open that case with Michael.”

Hopefully, if the 60-time Cup race winner’s father can pull through till Phoenix and if Hamlin can finally capture his elusive championship, the father-son duo will get to create another memory. But for now, as the NASCAR world prays for Dennis Hamlin, another issue seems to be bothering the 44-year-old’s 23XI Racing team.

Denny Hamlin urges NASCAR to change mindset amid legal drama

Denny Hamlin has sent a pointed message to NASCAR ahead of next week’s settlement conference on 21st October and the ongoing antitrust lawsuit. If 23XI Racing loses its charters, the team would forfeit guaranteed entry into Cup Series races and its full share of prize and media revenue distributed to charter teams.

Despite the stakes, Hamlin, who owns the team with NBA legend Michael Jordan, remains firm, emphasizing that NASCAR must shift its mindset to resolve. When asked if the settlement conference could help end the dispute, Hamlin kept his answer simple, saying, “I hope so. I think that realistically, they are going to have to change their thinking when it comes to settlement for us to get remotely close.”

With a trial set for December if no agreement is reached, Hamlin has criticized NASCAR for not fully understanding the teams’ concerns, signaling that significant concessions would be necessary for any settlement. Despite revelations about the reason behind changing the charter system last year, the teams against NASCAR aren’t giving up.  However, for now, all eyes are on Hamlin, some looking to see him charge at Phoenix, while others keep tabs on the NASCAR legal drama.