Long before the glitz of private jets and the pressure of the playoffs, Amelia Motor Raceway was where Denny Hamlin’s racing story began. His parents bought him his first go-kart at age 8 and brought it to the track on Wednesday practice nights. Fast forward to today, and after a heartbreaking 2025 season, Hamlin sought solace in those same roots.

Just days after his championship hopes slipped away at Phoenix, he shared an Instagram post that said more than words could, strolling in the bushes of a track that has now been abandoned. The Joe Gibbs Racing stars’ homecoming resonated deeply, earning an outpouring of love from the NASCAR community.

A look into Hamlin’s racing roots

Just a week before his 45th birthday, Hamlin seems to have taken a trip to Amelia County with his fiancée, Jordan Fish, and his daughters, Molly and Taylor. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was captured walking along the orange and green bushes that now covered the defunct Virginia track. Denny Hamlin got his start on Virginia’s local racing scene.

Tracks like Langley Speedway in Hampton, paved for short track, were known for their flat banking, and Hamlin competed in the mini stock division and was noted for his success there in the late 1990s. South Boston and Southside were also key chapters in his rise. Meanwhile, Southside, a smaller oval in Virginia, was cited as one of the tracks he first started on in mini stocks in 1997, building the foundation of his wheel-man skills. But it was Amelia Motor Raceway that made all the difference.

In a 2007 interview, the JGR driver laid bare, talking about how he started his racing career. He said, ” My parents got me my first go-kart when I was 8, and we took it to Amelia Motor Raceway on a Wednesday. That was their practice day. We just wanted to see how I did. I had never driven anything at all. I hadn’t even ridden a bicycle. I think I got loose a couple of times and he (my Dad) immediately noticed. They put me in a race the next weekend, and we won it. I’ve still got that trophy.” 

He drove a purple and white No. 11 car with an orange stripe, his family’s first racecar project. Hamlin revealed that his family’s small business, Chesterfield Trailer and Hitch, founded by his father in 1996, sponsored that very first car. From go-karts to mini stocks and late models at Virginia’s regional tracks, Hamlin climbed the ladder, eventually catching a big break in 2005 with Joe Gibbs Racing. He moved into a full-time NASCAR Cup Series ride the following year and has remained with the team ever since.

In an interview via NASCAR, Hamlin once stated, “ Oddly enough, I’ve always driven a purple-and-white No. 11, whether it was go-karts or race cars. … For me, this is our family car. This is the very first race car I ever owned, and it’s special to me that FedEx is able to give us this canvas to throw back to my very first race car.” 

Following the heartbreak at Phoenix, Hamlin made a quiet return to where it all began. He visited his family’s old repair shop and shared throwback go-karting photos, a meaningful journey home, especially given his father’s health condition. Going back to his roots reminded Hamlin just how far the car-hauling kid from Virginia has come, and he knows it all too well.

NASCAR fans pen down heartwarming messages for Denny Hamlin

Taking to Reddit, the fans couldn’t help but pour their hearts out. The return to his roots after the heartbreak did more than just signal a personal reset; it struck a chord with fans who have followed his career for decades. One fan reflected, “I didn’t know Denny could be so artistic like that, it was kinda beautiful and melancholy,” while another noted the emotional weight of that moment, saying, “This loss hitting so hard that Denny had to head home to remind himself why he’s here.”

The outpouring of support only grew as fans rallied around the driver, blending encouragement with recognition of his enduring talent. “You are the true champ Number 11,” one fan declared. Another reminded him of the importance of perspective, saying, “Sometimes you have to go back to where you came from to get perspective and remember your roots! Your day is coming Denny 🏆 don’t ever give up or let off the gas! 🙌🏻.”

Even the emotional toll on fans themselves became evident, with one person commenting, “I thought I was done crying for Denny Hamlin for 2025 but the comment section is getting blurry.” Beyond empathy, and expressed unwavering confidence and Hamlin’s ability to bounce back stronger. “We are all here for you mate (even if you dont know us)❤️,” one supporter wrote, while another offered encouragement for the season ahead: “Keep your head up Denny . You’re one of the greatest of all time ! Come back with even more grit and determination next year and dominate! Love watching you race . 🐐”

An additional message highlighted his unique place in the hearts of fans, with them saying, “We all hope you’re doing okay. Your the peoples champ. That was your day by a long shot. Give em hell in 26’ 🙏🏻.”

However, one fan took a different approach, suggesting reviving this abandoned track. They wrote, “He’s got the money, bring it back, Denny. It looks like it’s a matter of time before my local track is gone too, I know if I could bring it back I would.” Together, these reactions paint a portrait of a driver whose impact extends far beyond the racetrack, and as Hamlin is in recovery mode, all eyes will be on the JGR Driver to shake things up next year