Dennis and Mary Lou, 69, were transported to a nearby hospital, where Mary Lou remains in critical condition, according to officials.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth suffered catastrophic injuries while escaping the flames,\u201d said the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services in a statement.<\/p>\n
A real estate company owned by Denny Hamlin, Won One Real Estate, is listed as the owner of the 3,724-square-foot house built in 2015. Toomey said 40 to 45 percent of the house was already burning by the time fire crews arrived shortly after a call was issued at 6:19 p.m. ET, and described the damage to the house as a \u201ctotal loss.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cause of the fire is under investigation.<\/p>\n
Driving for a team owned by Joe Gibbs, the Super Bowl-winning former NFL head coach, Denny Hamlin has been one of NASCAR\u2019s top drivers for much of the past two decades. He is regarded as the best driver to have never won the sport\u2019s premier Cup Series championship and is a three-time winner of the sport\u2019s biggest race, the Daytona 500. He is also co-owner of 23XI Racing, a Cup team whose majority owner is NBA legend Michael Jordan.<\/p>\n
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The strong bond between Dennis and Denny Hamlin was a recurring theme throughout the 2025 season, one that nearly saw Denny win the Cup championship.<\/p>\n
Dennis Hamlin played an instrumental part in Denny\u2019s racing career, especially during his son\u2019s formative years growing up in Chesterfield, Va., just outside of Richmond. Dennis owned and operated Chesterfield Trailer and Hitch and poured a considerable amount of money from that business into supporting his son\u2019s burgeoning racing career, competing in various races at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n
Many times, it was Dennis who pushed and pleaded with Mary Lou to keep funding Denny\u2019s racing career, even at times when the family lacked the financial resources to continue doing so.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Dennis recently had been facing severe health issues, and his dad\u2019s condition, along with everything Dennis did to help his son, was the source of several emotional moments for Denny Hamlin this year.<\/p>\n
One of the most notable came following Denny\u2019s playoff race win at Las Vegas in October, the 60th victory of his career in NASCAR\u2019s premier Cup Series, moving him into a tie with Kevin Harvick for 10th on NASCAR\u2019s all-time wins list. That his father was unable to be present at the track with him due to his illness, combined with the significance of the win, moved the younger Hamlin to tears as he celebrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat way is a path I would never recommend anybody taking,\u201d Hamlin said of his working-class family\u2019s sacrifices<\/a>. \u201cEvery credit card that comes to the mail, it\u2019s \u2018OK, we\u2019ll use it.\u2019 Asking people to help. Second and third mortgaging the house. The arguments I had to listen to; I\u2019m in my room, and my mom and dad are going at it. One is saying, \u2018I can\u2019t do it anymore.\u2019 The other one saying, \u2018Please, just one more week.’\u201d<\/p>\n \n Mary Lou Hamlin and Denny Hamlin celebrate his win at the Southern 500 in Darlington, S.C., in 2010. (Jason Smith \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n Hamlin also teared up about his father\u2019s prognosis while testifying in federal court<\/a> as part of a lawsuit 23XI and another race team, Front Row Motorsports, brought against NASCAR, alleging monopolistic practices. (The parties agreed to a settlement before the trial concluded.)<\/p>\n \u201cMy dad is not in great health,\u201d Hamlin said to the jury during his testimony, going on to detail how much his parents sacrificed to help further his racing career.<\/p>\n Dennis Hamlin has always been an ardent supporter of his son, and Jordan had given him a special cigar that Dennis kept inside a glass case and planned to smoke once Denny won his elusive first Cup championship. Hamlin came agonizingly close<\/a> just last month in the title race in Phoenix.<\/p>\n![\"Mary](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-98931130-scaled.jpg\")
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