GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) – The mother of star NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin issued an emotional plea for more fire funding during the Gaston County Board of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday night.
Her plea came nearly three months after her husband, Dennis, died from injuries sustained in a Dec. 28 house fire on Blacksnake Road.
Mary Lou Hamlin stood at the podium with tears in her eyes during the March 25 meeting, flanked by her daughter, Denny’s wife Jordan, and local firefighters.
“Dec. 28 was one of the saddest days of my life,” she told county leaders through tears. “It was the last time I saw my husband of 52 years, when I pulled him out of our burning home.”
“I didn’t understand at the time that the fire trucks were there but not the water,” she said. “There was no water to put out my house. I am advocating for funding to be included in this year’s budget. Training on emergency response, additional equipment, staffing … are just a few of the things to help strengthen the fire protection in our area, in which funds are desperately needed.”
Hamlin said that two pets — a dog and a cat — also died in the fire.
By the time the flames were out, the house right outside Stanley town limits was burned to the ground. Hardly anything was left standing, and Hamlin herself was treated for severe burns.
“I am hoping by doing this, no other family has to experience what we had to go through,” she said during the March 25 meeting. “Please, please, please help by including funds for your budget this year.”
Hamlin’s daughter, Lisa Chapman, also briefly spoke to the board of commissioners.
“There’s nothing worse than pulling up to the fire, to the house on fire — partially on fire — and seeing everybody standing in the road … No water being thrown on the fire,” Chapman said. “I thought I was in shock … When [Mary Lou] woke up, that was probably one of the first things she said, was there was no water thrown on the house.”
“At that time, the animals were still in there,” Chapman went on. “My dad was already gone but there’s things that could’ve been saved but with no water there wasn’t.”
A fire investigation report was released on Feb. 20, and showed that the blaze was accidental and started in a bedroom, but its cause was listed as undetermined.
A fire destroyed the Hamlin parents’ house on Blacksnake Road in Stanley, N.C. on Dec. 28, 2025.(Lucia-Riverbend Fire Department)Denny Hamlin’s emotional wins
The deadly fire happened about two months after Denny Hamlin won his 60th career race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 12.
After that win — which was Hamlin’s last before the fire — he got out of the car crying, emotional over the fact that his dad’s health was failing.
“He’s the one that got me into racing … took me to a race track when I was five [years old],” Hamlin said after that October win. “They made all the sacrifices financially to keep me going. He sold everything we had … We almost lost our house a couple times, just trying to keep it all going. So, you know, I’m glad he was able to see 60 … That was super important to me.”
Then just two weeks ago on March 15, Hamlin earned his first win since the fire — also at Las Vegas.
His wife, kids and mom all came out to the start-finish line to congratulate and hug him with tears in their eyes.
“This is a family sport and my family obviously had so much sacrifice to help me get here,” Hamlin said afterward. “It’s great that Mom gets to see this. I know Dad’s still saying, ‘That’s my boy.’”
The win was significant for emotional reasons but also because it put Hamlin into sole possession of 10th place on the Cup Series’ all-time wins list.
Denny Hamlin’s family celebrated his emotional March 15 win with him at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(Steve Marcus | AP)Hamlin house fire coverage
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