NASCAR has paid a heartfelt tribute to Denny Hamlin and his family after the legendary driver lost his father in a fatal house fire.
The world of racing is in mourning after Dennis Hamlin, 75, was killed in the blaze in North Carolina, while his mother Mary Lou remains in the hospital in a critical condition.
Hamlin is one of NASCAR’s most iconic drivers and the 45-year-old now co-owns 23XI Racing with basketball icon Michael Jordan.
And on Tuesday, NASCAR released a statement on the tragedy, saying it ‘extended its deepest condolences to Denny Hamlin and the entire Hamlin family.’
The statement continued: ‘Dennis Hamlin instilled a love of racing in his son, and sacrificed greatly to develop Denny into a world-class talent in the sport.
‘We also continue to offer our thoughts and prayers to Denny’s mother, Mary Lou, and hope for her full recovery.’
Legendary NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin lost his father in a fatal house fire earlier this week
NASCAR star Hamlin (left) and Michael Jordan (right) launched the 23XI racing team in 2020
Dennis (left) died in the fire, while Mary Lou (right) is in a critical condition in the hospital
A huge blaze was reported to the Lucia Riverbend Fire Department at 6:19pm on Sunday night at a home owned by motorsport icon Hamlin.
The local fire chief later revealed that his parents, Mary Lou and Dennis, lived at the address.
Gaston County EMS then confirmed that Hamlin’s father, 75, died from injuries suffered in the blaze.
Hamlin’s mother Mary Lou, meanwhile, was transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem, where she is being ‘actively treated’ for her own injuries and is in a critical condition.
As reported by The Athletic, nearly half the home was burning when first responders arrived from more than 10 fire departments in the area.
The added personnel was required due to a lack of hydrants in the heavily wooded area surrounding the home.
One person was initially trapped in the house before being freed. Two victims were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation before one was pronounced dead, later confirmed as Dennis Hamlin.
Denny Hamlin has yet to comment on the tragedy, and due to the structural collapse of the property, no cause has yet been confirmed for the blaze.
NASCAR Statement:
“NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to Denny Hamlin and the entire Hamlin family. Dennis Hamlin instilled a love of racing in his son, and sacrificed greatly to develop Denny into a world-class talent in the sport. We also continue to offer our thoughts and…
— NASCAR Communications (@NASCAR_Comms) December 30, 2025 
A young Denny Hamlin is pictured alongside his parents, Dennis and Mary Lou
One person was initially trapped in the house before being freed. Two victims were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and they have now been identified as Hamlin’s parents
Hamlin had previously given credit to his father for his success in motor racing, telling reporters: ‘He’s the one that got me into racing.
‘Just took me to a race track when I was five, then made all the sacrifices financially to keep me going. Sold everything they had. We almost lost our house a couple of times. Just tried to keep it all going.’
Born in Tampa, Hamlin was raised by his parents in central Virginia before getting his start on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2004. The 45-year-old now has 60 career wins over 718 NASCAR Cup Series starts.
In 2020, Hamlin launched the 23XI racing team alongside his long-time friend, Jordan, although he continues to race for Joe Gibbs Racing.
The fire follows another tragedy within the NASCAR family this month: the deaths of driver Greg Biffle, his wife Christina Grossu, and their children, Ryder Jack and Emma Elizabeth in a North Carolina plane crash.
The 55-year-old’s Cessna C550 private jet was seen burning on a runway at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:15am on December 18, according to authorities, who reported six deaths in total.
Hamlin and Jordan, meanwhile, recently celebrated an emotional courtroom victory over NASCAR in Charlotte.
Although the financial terms were not disclosed, the 23XI team co-owners reached a settlement in their lawsuit over NASCAR’s charter agreements and revenue sharing back on December 11.
Hamlin’s father Dennis, pictured alongside his wife Mary Lou, was 75 when he died on Sunday
The plaintiffs, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports, had framed the lawsuit as an imperative for the sport’s financial well-being.
‘Today’s a good day,’ Jordan said as he waited in the gallery for attorneys to announce the deal outside the federal courthouse in Charlotte.
‘I’ve said this from Day 1: Only way this sport is going to grow is we have to find some synergy between the two entities, and I think we’ve gotten to that point,’ Jordan continued, as quoted by The Athletic.
‘Unfortunately, it took 16 months to get here, but I think, level heads got us to this point to where we can actually work together and grow this sport. I’m very proud about that. And I think [NASCAR chairman Jim France] feels the same.’