Denny Hamlin secured his 60th Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend, with the Joe Gibbs Racing driver opening up on his relationship with team owner Joe Gibbs
Denny Hamlin celebrated a big win in Las Vegas(Image: Getty)
NASCAR star Denny Hamlin has opened up about his relationship with Joe Gibbs, whom he sees as a father figure, following his 60th Cup Series win.
Hamlin had an emotional victory last weekend, which he described as the “most significant” win of his career. The 44 year old secured his 60th Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, overtaking teammate Chase Briscoe in the final four laps of the South Point 400 and holding off Kyle Larson to claim victory.
After his Las Vegas win, Hamlin’s emotions were on full display, with the NASCAR star shedding tears partly due to his father’s ongoing health issues.
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In a post-race interview, Hamlin shared insights into his relationship with team owner Joe Gibbs and his late son J.D. Gibbs, who passed away in 2019 and had advocated for his father to sign Hamlin.
“J.D. was my road dad, my track dad,” Hamlin revealed. “When J.D. passed, it’s more of Joe [Gibbs] now. I think that father figures are really, really important to make sure you do the right things.”
Hamlin added: “They’re the ones that kind of keep you in the lane of life.
“I know that I do outlandish things and say outlandish things at times, but I always know that eventually I have to answer to the higher power, and on earth here it’s Joe.”
Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs share a close bond(Image: Getty)
Having spent his entire Cup Series career with JGR, Hamlin has built up the trust to be able to do his own thing, something he appreciates Gibbs has afforded to him.
“I appreciate that he lets me be me,” Hamlin added about Gibbs. “He never asks me to change. Probably should at times, but I see him as family.
“The relationship and the bond is really, really close. I’m very, very grateful for what his family has done for me. Everything that I got, I owe to the Gibbs family.
“These guys are the ones that found me and took a chance. So, my loyalty to them runs very, very deep. His loyalty to me has made me feel that way.”