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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 30: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, speaks to the media after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 30, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Denny Hamlin confirmed on the “Actions Detrimental” podcast that he’ll be back in 2026. Hamlin admitted he wasn’t mentally ready for the defeat and likened it to dropping a 30-point lead.
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series ended on November 2 at Phoenix Raceway, where Hamlin came up just short of a title he’s chased for two decades. He entered the race with six wins, 14 top-fives, and 18 top-10s. He started on pole and controlled most of the race, until a late caution sent it into overtime and changed everything.
Denny Hamlin Confronting the Immediate Emotional Fallout
The overtime finish hit Denny Hamlin hard, especially after leading 208 laps and watching the race slip away. Right after the checkered flag, he shared the gut-punch feeling, saying, “in this moment I never want to race a car ever again.”
On the Actions Detrimental podcast, he admitted that winning would have pushed him toward walking away on the spot. “Listen, I would have begged Joe (Gibbs) to let me quit had I won that race,” he said. “I would have because it just would have been the perfect way for me to go out. But they are not ready for that yet.”
He added that Joe Gibbs Racing already has a general plan for his eventual exit: “They have to have time to work on my succession plan. We know what’s the life line left.”
Hamlin compared the setback to losing a huge points lead all at once and admitted he wasn’t mentally prepared for that kind of twist. And when rumors surfaced about a run-in with Carl Edwards after the race, he shut them down, confirming nothing happened between them.
Challenging the One-Race Decider Format
Denny Hamlin also used the episode to take another look at NASCAR’s one-race championship system. He argued that the structure can erase a season full of strong results and give too much weight to one chaotic finish. As he put it on the podcast, “For people like myself, William Byron, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick. I think we’re all for bigger sample sizes.”
He explained that the current setup can reward drivers who haven’t shown the same level of performance over many months. “It rewards mediocrity for a bulk of the season,” he said. Hamlin added that some drivers simply haven’t felt the sting of losing a title this way: “You’ve never had one ripped out of your hands. Mediocre people want as small sample size as possible. The greats want a larger size.”
To avoid leaving anyone out, he later added, “Can’t forget Chase Elliott, he is one of the best grinding out throughout the season.”
Drawing Strength from Familial Backing
Denny Hamlin also shared a lighter moment from his post-race conversation with his dad, who mixed support with a little humor. “He was fine. Very supportive… You did it. Don’t have the trophy. That is it,” Hamlin said. He laughed about his dad’s joking advice before the race: “Knock them out the way. Just knock them out of way. God dang.”
Even during a “taxing” season filled with pressure and nonstop commitments, family moments like this help keep him grounded. As Hamlin gears up for 2026, that encouragement, paired with his long-standing drive, turns another heartbreak into fuel for the next chase.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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