Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin have been racing together for two decades. At this point, their bond has become more than that of a racing driver and his boss. When Hamlin started his new race team, his boss immediately became his biggest supporter. In 2025, during one of the worst episodes of his life, Denny Hamlin found himself a father figure in his team boss, Joe Gibbs.
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Denny Hamlin admits to Joe Gibbs being his father figure
The entire episode that Denny Hamlin faced throughout December has been mentally taxing for him. His parents’ house was engulfed in fire, and he would end up losing his father to the same tragedy. While his father and mother were fighting for their lives, Denny Hamlin admitted that Joe Gibbs became his pillar of support, often overshadowing Hamlin’s efforts.
“Joe is someone who is just very special to me. Joe beat me to the hospital the night it happened. The guy is just unbelievable in how he is a leader, and he’s obviously been through it. My personal connection is Joe and always has been since he took over as my at-track dad.”
When Hamlin debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series, he was merely 25 years old. Since then, he has become the oldest driver on track today, heading into the 2026 season. Throughout this tenure, he has only raced for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Joe Gibbs is no stranger to grief, and he was right there for Denny Hamlin and family as they navigated their own loss during the off-season…
DH on the many ways Coach Gibbs went above and beyond over the past year 👇 https://t.co/OdbctzQXbK
— Motorsport (@Motorsport) February 11, 2026
Even though Hamlin may not have won a championship, his team owner did not give up on him. His continued support for Hamlin led to a glorious 2025 season campaign that nearly crowned him the Cup Series champion.
Aside from his 2025 campaign, Joe Gibbs also spent considerable time with his father, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness.
“He made a point to go, if not every week, every other week to visit over the last year, talking stories and praying with him,” Hamlin said. “You know, my dad was really trying to get right with the Lord, you know, over the last year, and felt like Joe really helped with that.”
Hamlin also emphasized that his parents used to live far away, but that did not stop Joe Gibbs from visiting them. In a way, Joe Gibbs became a part of his family through shared pain and efforts for the NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Hamlin is proud to show his dad the best version of himself
In 2025, Denny Hamlin left no holds barred. He was flying through the championship with victories and top-10s under his belt. Hamlin won five races throughout the season en route to the Championship 4 race at Phoenix.
It was an incredible effort that almost earned him the championship title. If not for the late-stage caution, Hamlin was only a few laps short of victory in the last stage of the Championship race.
While it did not earn him the championship title, Denny Hamlin is more than happy that his father got to see the best version of him race at the peak of stock-car racing. Now, he is more than ready to stage his comeback in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Early on, Hamlin revealed that he would still need time to cope and get back to his previous form in order to race in the 2026 Cup Series at the same level as last year. His performance in the latest sessions before the Daytona 500 seems to have instilled confidence in him.
“I feel like we’re kind of getting back into the swing of things,” Hamlin said. “I would certainly be lying if I said I was as highly motivated as I have been in years past. But like I said last year, it’s going to take some time.
“I think every day at the racetrack is going to get me there. I am way too competitive to just go through the motions. As we get on the track and go through practice and qualifying, we’re getting there.”
With a fan following and support from the entire NASCAR community at his side, Hamlin has a chance to dedicate the ultimate tribute to his late father.