Denny Hamlin is on cloud nine right now. After 9 months of waiting, he finally met his son. But while he had to miss out on NASCAR action, there’s something else on the table. In what might be the most heartwarming crossover moment NASCAR has ever seen, Hamlin then found himself sharing the ring and maybe even his last name with his friendly double, and that sent fans into overdrive on social media.

Fatherhood might have sidelined Denny Hamlin from the chaos in Mexico City, but it did not stop him from making headlines elsewhere. Denny very promptly made his debut at the Fanatics Fest, rocking his signature baseball cap and NASCAR swagger like a celebrated champ. But the real showstopper came backstage when Hamlin crossed paths with Buffalo Bills star Damar Hamlin. What followed was part comedy, part Bromance, and all viral gold. Denny Hamlin wasted no time posting this moment on X: ” Hamlin 🤝 Hamlin.”

Enter Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin; their shared surname sparked immediate chemistry. The handshake went viral when Damar told Denny, “I’ve been wanting to meet you since I was in the f—— middle school, bro.”  Ouch, Denny was partly offended by that, feeling all old. However, the Joe Gibbs Racing Driver laughed it off, saying, “ Don’t age me like that.”

Then Damar added, “You’ve been the first famous Hamlin ever. I was always claiming you as a cousin.” And that’s all it took to send the fans into a frenzy. This wasn’t me or happenstance. The 2 Hamlin men connected through a random name and shared humility, giving fans a moment of joy and the funny and fluky connections that light up the moment.

At the inaugural fanatics games, Denny Hamlin didn’t just show up; he made an entrance worthy of a wrestling heel. Rolling in on a go-kart to Ric Flair’s iconic theme music, Hamlin threw on his NASCAR firesuit and embraced his inner Showman, playing the villain persona fans love to hate. WWE posted the spectacle on X, and it did not take long for the Internet to eat it up.

The Fanatic Games, held at the Javits Center in New York City, reimagined the sports decathlon with a celebrity. Featuring a hundred competitors, split between 50 athletes and celebrities from leagues like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, UFC, and NASCAR, and 50 everyday fans, the event had everyone going head-to-head in eight athletic challenges. With a massive $2 million prize, including $1 million for the top overall finisher, only a participant’s best six scores counted, meaning every move counted in this high-stakes crossover showdown.

However, the encounter between the two Hamlins was more than just a funny encounter; it was a full-circle moment for Damar, a Buffalo Bills safety whose story has inspired millions since surviving a cardiac arrest on the football field in 2023. Back on the gridiron and now a symbol of strength, his surprise meeting with Danny added a heartwarming twist to what was already a star-studded sports weekend.

And while Danny might not be an honorary member of Bill’s mafia just yet, he’s no stranger to ruffling feathers with his sports allegiances. A longtime Ohio State loyalist (thanks mostly to his friend group), Hamlin recently stirred up a Michigan crowd by proudly flashing the “ OH” sign, twisting the knife with a new legendary jab he wants to promise his dad he’d retire: “I beat your favorite driver.”

That’s Denny Hamlin in a nutshell. However, that was not the moment that the fans were going crazy about.

Fans break the net with Damar-Denny crossover

As soon as the clip of Dahmer meeting Danny hit social media, the NASCAR fans and other confused onlookers United for a rare moment of pure Internet gold. The crossover we didn’t know we needed—two Hamlins, zero relation, full-on bromance.

One fan summed up what everyone was secretly thinking: “Tbh I thought Damar Hamlin and Denny Hamlin were related to each other.” And honestly? Same. The last name chemistry, the energy, and the fact that Damar greeted Denny like he had waited for this moment since gym class, is iconic. As one user so eloquently put it, “Hit Denny with that wanted to meet you since middle school 😂.” Denny’s face at all, somewhere between flattered and please stop aging me in public.

Then came the sibling saga. “Glad you got to meet your long-lost brother!” fans wrote just to drive it home. By the time Damo called Danny the first famous Hamlin, you could practically hear 1000 family reunion Memes being drafted in real time. Someone even added, “ That Bills soccer jersey is lowkey nice,” because it’s a whole moment without a little drip check while trying to convert OH lover Denny Hamlin?

And while the sarcasm flowed, so did the appreciation. “Aww, so cool. That’s respect, Denny” read one reply that actually got a like from a few diehard Joe Gibbs fans. Another simply declared, “ Bills fan now,” as if this moment alone was enough to switch NHL loyalties.

But the final word belonged to the sentiment squad: “WOW!!! This hits hard!!! 🙏,” which, to be fair, it kind of did. Because in between the laughter, the fandoms, and the jokes, this was one of the rare cross-spot runs that felt like more than PR fluff. It was just plain fun. And for a fan base that lives for dramas, rivalries, and Daytona chaos, this moment of Hamlin-on-Hamlin wholesomeness was a pitstop. Nobody wanted to end.