Before the 2026 season starts, the fans have been worried about Denny Hamlin. A hardcore driver, Hamlin has been through multiple failures and disappointments in the Cup Series. Last year, he ended up losing two important parts of his personal and professional life. About to win his first Cup Series title, it was snatched away from him in the final moments. But the real tragedy struck when a house fire ended up injuring his parents, taking away his father’s life before the end of the year.

The entire scenario was a mental burden for Hamlin, who was quiet on his social media, thanking his supporters. Almost everyone has the same question in mind now–will Denny Hamlin participate in the 2026 season? The 60-race winner has finally made the announcement.

Denny Hamlin’s confidence in himself is shaky but not broken

Yes, Denny Hamlin will drive again. Hamlin has publicly announced that he won’t skip the 2026 season. He has come out of his silence and declared his intentions clear to all who were wondering about his return to the sport.

“I’ve considered all options,” Hamlin said. “I made a promise to Joe and the Gibbs family. Those guys have been working and preparing and whatnot. I’ll be obviously a little bit behind, but I feel like I can catch up pretty quickly.”

He has not been in the garage since November. As such, Hamlin did not shy away from admitting that he is not completely ready for the 2026 season. But like a seasoned veteran, Hamlin also revealed that he would get better and regain his edge once the 2026 season started.

“I don’t think [it will be difficult],” Hamlin said. “I think once I get in the swing of it, it’ll actually be good to get back to it. I just haven’t locked in for the season, necessarily, quite yet.”

With the new championship format, Hamlin will have to perform more consistently compared to the previous season. He will need to earn victories and regular top-10 finishes if he wants to have a shot at the championship title once again. Once a NASCAR ‘villain,’ it will be interesting to see the role he adopts in 2026 to cope with the tragedy of the past year.

For Denny Hamlin, the decision to continue without a break shows his commitment to his team and the sport. He is not only a driver, but also a team owner in the Cup Series. An owner who has a lot to prove after going against NASCAR and proving them wrong in court. In 2026, Hamlin will be racing for something more than an achievement or a trophy; he will be racing for the soul of his late father.

Hamlin’s grief dared to break his motivation, but he overcame to bring back the same rebel attitude that the fans love. Denny Hamlin has proved it once again that he is not just some guy who ‘couldn’t win a championship.’ He is a high-performance athlete who won’t stop, come what may, until he wins the said championship.

But Denny Hamlin did not stop at that. The public is rejoicing currently because of his decision to return.

A while ago, they were head over heels for him because of his support for a talent that many felt had lost his chance at NASCAR.

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Corey Heim earns Denny Hamlin’s backing against Joe Gibbs’ wishes

Corey Heim’s journey in NASCAR was considered over by experts. He was the 2025 Truck Series champion. More than that, Heim won the championship by obliterating the beloved Greg Biffle’s record of most wins in a single season. On his way to his first championship, Heim broke multiple records and set a new precedent for being a Truck series driver.

Yet, to everyone’s surprise, he was left alone without any full-time seat for the 2026 season. The fans who were expecting him in a Cup Series seat were devastated. But before things could go worse for the driver, Denny Hamlin swooped in to save the day. Hamlin gave him a few races in the 2026 season to prove himself with 23XI Racing.

Why is it important? That’s because Denny Hamlin’s gesture is directly clashing with Joe Gibbs’ ego. Joe Gibbs essentially ended Corey Heim’s career due to his past altercations with Ty Gibbs. So when Hamlin gave Corey Heim another chance at redeeming himself, it was rather shocking, considering the fact that Gibbs is still Hamlin’s boss and a close supporter of 23XI Racing’s technical program.

Both Corey Heim and Denny Hamlin have a lot to prove in the 2026 season. Do you believe they will be able to achieve the goals they set out to conquer?