“I just never envisioned a scenario where we go until after the season is over, and then I’m told I have to start over. I certainly didn’t take it well.” Denny Hamlin said these words in February 2025, facing swathes of uncertainty. He lost FedEx, a sponsor that had supported him for two decades, and also his crew chief, Chris Gabehart. With these setbacks, not only Hamlin but also his fans were concerned about the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran’s future.

However, Denny Hamlin picked up the challenges and smashed every one of them. Despite turning 44, the JGR star never let his fans believe that seniority was taking a toll on him. Hence, Hamlin’s diehard fans are still looking forward to their NASCAR idol’s ultimate dream.

Denny Hamlin’s clock is ticking

“I have too much ego, too much pride to continue after I’m no longer competitive.” In a podcast appearance with Shannon Spake, Denny Hamlin revealed the next milestone of his life. Having spent a solid 20 years in NASCAR, the 59-time Cup Series race winner feels confident that he has two years left on the radar. But it takes a lot for a fierce competitor like Hamlin to look in the mirror and decide that his time to exit is fast approaching. Hamlin leads the series at present with five victories and looks to be on a fantastic glory ride to another shot at the championship.

At the same time, Denny Hamlin has also been NASCAR’s black hat for many years. He has scores of detractors who wish for his downfall against his competitors. Amidst this mixed situation, a NASCAR fan posted a question for the community on Reddit, stating, “Where are you at for the remainder of this year + the next 2 before one of the winningest drivers of the modern era of NASCAR hangs it up? Do you hope that you just watched Denny win his last race at Gateway the other week? And he fades off the last 2 years struggling to find top 5s like some of the other greats? Do you hope he wins a few races a year, maybe reaches 65-70 wins? If Denny makes the final 4, are you rooting for him? How do you hope to see Denny depart?”

Well, these are all valid questions, as Denny Hamlin is showing no signs of stopping his brilliance. After the Round of 16, he is one of the BetMGM Betting favorites to win the Cup Series title. What is more, Hamlin’s reputation precedes him at the upcoming race at New Hampshire. He has the best average finish of any driver at the Magic Mile. Over 31 starts, he has clinched three wins and 19 top ten finishes with an average finish of 9.9. Yet Christopher Bell is ahead of Hamlin to clinch the victory at this race. His JGR teammate is the defending winner of the race.

Yet, no matter what the betting models say, the fans are on Denny Hamlin’s side.

Waiting to crown him the victor

For two long decades, Denny Hamlin has carved out a status as a top-notch Cup Series driver. In the same time span, however, Hamlin has also missed out on the Cup Series title. So, his diehard fans are doubling their prayers for his final two years in the Cup Series. One fan laid out his wishes, drawing a fierce exit plan for his idol: “A walk off win to get the championship in his final season, then pulling a Kyle Busch at Bristol and absolutely ripping the format apart in his interview.”

Another fan, albeit not a supreme follower of Hamlin, has a good wish. Michael Jordan gave Hamlin’s father, Dennis, a cigar, which will be signed only after Hamlin claims the championship. So this fan wants Hamlin to win for the sake of this cool statement: “not a denny fan but want his dad to smoke that cigar.”

Somebody else had an emotional anecdote to share about Denny Hamlin. They wrote how their perception has evolved from rooting for other legends to finally rooting for Hamlin – and also his team, 23XI Racing. They wrote, “When I was a kid, I used to cheer against him while I cheered for Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Those three used to be in a class of their own at Martinsville, which is where I went to see races in-person. Now I cheer for him and 23XI. Wild how things change. Hopefully he can win a championship one year.” Another fan was convinced that NASCAR loyalists were posting nasty comments, considering the ongoing lawsuit. “Im not even a Denny fan and I’m convinced nascar shill bots have infiltrated this group,” they wrote.

Another fan, who is ironically not a Denny Hamlin supporter, still acknowledged him. They wrote that no matter where Hamlin reaches in the next two years, his fandom sentiment would not change. “He’s a great but have never cheered for him and that won’t suddenly change the last two years.”

Clearly, Denny Hamlin is getting a lot of support in his last run. And given the pace he has, Hamlin might just fulfil his long-awaited wish.