Career Timeline of Denny Hamlin: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Denny Hamlin, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Denny Hamlin is an accomplished American professional stock car racing driver currently competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, piloting the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. Beyond his driving career, Hamlin is a team owner, co-owning and operating 23XI Racing alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan. This makes him a significant figure both on the track and in the business side of NASCAR.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1960: First Cup Series Winner Disqualified Since 1960

In 2022, Denny Hamlin won at Pocono but was disqualified after post-race inspections revealed an unauthorized modification to the car's front fascia. This marked the first time a NASCAR Cup Series winner had been disqualified since 1960, when Emanuel Zervakis lost a victory due to an oversized fuel tank.

1966: James Hylton's Points Finish

In 1966, James Hylton achieved a notable points finish as a rookie, setting a high standard before Denny Hamlin's successful rookie season.

1988: Start of Racing Career

In 1988, at the age of 7, Denny Hamlin began his racing career, racing go-karts.

1993: Mark Martin Darlington Sweep

In 1993, Mark Martin swept both races at Darlington, a feat that Denny Hamlin matched in 2010.

1993: Joe Gibbs' Daytona 500 Victory

In 2016, Denny Hamlin's victory at the Daytona 500 marked team owner Joe Gibbs' first victory in the event since 1993.

1997: WKA Manufacturers Cup Win

In 1997, Denny Hamlin won the WKA Manufacturers Cup at the age of 15.

1998: Racing Mini Stocks

In 1998, Denny Hamlin started racing mini stocks. He also secured the pole position and won his first stock car race at Langley Speedway.

2000: Move to Late Model Stock Cars

In 2000, Denny Hamlin progressed to Late Model Stock Cars, continuing his ascent in the racing world.

2000: Dominant Performances

The description notes that the performance at Richmond in 2008 was among the most dominant performances by a driver since 2000.

2002: Ten Late Model Victories

In 2002, Denny Hamlin achieved ten Late Model victories, demonstrating his growing talent and success in racing.

2002: Jimmie Johnson's Rookie Sweep

In 2002, Jimmie Johnson swept both races at Dover Downs International Speedway as a rookie, predating Hamlin's achievement at Pocono.

2003: 25 Wins and 30 Poles

In 2003, Denny Hamlin had a successful year with 25 wins and 30 pole positions out of 36 races in Late Model Stock Cars.

2004: NASCAR and ARCA Debut

In 2004, Denny Hamlin debuted in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with EJP Racing, finishing tenth at IRP. He made his ARCA RE/MAX Series start at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing third. Hamlin also made his Busch Series debut at Darlington Raceway, finishing eighth in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven Performance Oil Chevrolet.

2004: Driver Development Contract with Joe Gibbs Racing

In 2004, while competing full-time in Late Model Stock Cars, Denny Hamlin signed a driver development contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, marking a significant step in his career.

2004: Kurt Busch's NASCAR Cup Series Championship

In 2022, Kurt Busch, who was the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, joined 23XI Racing, bringing Monster Energy as a sponsor.

2005: Crashed at Pocono

In 2005, Denny Hamlin crashed at Pocono on Lap 15 after losing control of his car in the third turn, jeopardizing his chances of making the Chase for the first time in his career. He was later eliminated from the Chase at Michigan.

2005: Full Season in Busch Series and Cup Series Debut

In 2005, Denny Hamlin ran the full season in the Busch Series, finishing fifth in points. Hamlin also debuted in the Nextel Cup Series, driving the No. 11 FedEx-sponsored Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway.

June 11, 2006: First Cup Series Win at Pocono 500

On June 11, 2006, Denny Hamlin achieved his first Cup Series win at the Pocono 500, also securing his second career pole. This marked a major milestone in his career.

2006: Remarkable Rookie Season

In 2006, Denny Hamlin had an impressive rookie season, finishing third in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings, which was one of the most remarkable rookie campaigns in modern NASCAR history.

2006: Full-Time Cup Series Driver

In 2006, Denny Hamlin was announced as the full-time driver for the No. 11 car, driving the FedEx-sponsored Chevrolet, in the Nextel Cup Series after Jason Leffler was released.

2006: Rookie Season Wins

In 2018, Denny Hamlin ended his 12-season streak of winning at least one race. The streak dated back to his rookie year in 2006 when he won both Pocono races.

2007: 2007 Racing Season

In 2007, Denny Hamlin started the Cup season with a 28th-place finish at the Daytona 500. He secured his third career Cup victory at the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire, but finished 43rd at the Pepsi 400 due to an early wreck. He finished 12th overall in the final standings.

2008: 2008 Racing Season

In 2008, Denny Hamlin finished eighth in points and won early in the season at Martinsville. He led 381 out of 410 laps at Richmond in the 2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400, but ultimately finished 24th. Additionally, he won four races in the Nationwide Series.

August 3, 2009: Victory at Pocono

On August 3, 2009, Denny Hamlin secured his fifth career Cup win at Pocono, breaking a 50-race winless streak. This victory was especially emotional, as it came shortly after the passing of his grandmother, Thelma Clark.

October 25, 2009: Win at Martinsville Speedway

On October 25, 2009, Denny Hamlin won the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, holding off Jimmie Johnson to secure the victory.

March 29, 2010: Win at Martinsville Speedway

On March 29, 2010, Denny Hamlin won the rain-postponed race at Martinsville Speedway, finishing ahead of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon.

April 19, 2010: Victory at Texas After Knee Surgery

On April 19, 2010, just three weeks after knee surgery, Denny Hamlin returned to racing and won at Texas, securing his 10th career win.

2010: Michigan Performance

Before the first practice at Michigan, NASCAR confiscated unapproved sumps from the three Joe Gibbs Racing teams, including Hamlin's, where he previously had a 1st and 2nd place finish in 2010. Hamlin secured the 10th position in the field. This victory propelled him from 12th in the standings to 9th, guaranteeing him a spot in the Chase.

2010: 2010 Emory Healthcare 500 and Chase

During the 2010 season, Hamlin finished 43rd in the Emory Healthcare 500 at Atlanta, dropping in the Chase standings. Despite the setback, he secured his spot in the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup. He narrowly lost to Clint Bowyer in the first Chase race due to a driver error by Carl Edwards.

2010: Southern 500 Win

In 2010, Denny Hamlin secured a victory at the Southern 500.

2010: Second Season with At Least Six Wins

In 2019, Denny Hamlin's sixth win of the year marked the second season in his career with at least six wins, the first being in 2010 when he had eight.

2011: Grubb's Sprint Cup Title with Stewart

In 2011, Darian Grubb served as Tony Stewart's crew chief, guiding Stewart to his third Sprint Cup title. This success led to Grubb becoming Hamlin's crew chief in 2012.

2011: Near Win at Budweiser Shootout

In 2011, Denny Hamlin nearly won the Budweiser Shootout, but Kurt Busch passed him after Hamlin crossed the yellow line, costing him the victory.

April 22, 2012: Victory at Kansas

On April 22, 2012, Denny Hamlin secured his second victory of the year at Kansas, outlasting Martin Truex Jr.

2012: Crew Chief Change

At the end of the 2011 season, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Mike Ford would not return as Hamlin's crew chief for the 2012 season.

2012: Darian Grubb as Crew Chief

In 2012, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Darian Grubb would replace Mike Ford as Hamlin's crew chief. Grubb had previously guided Tony Stewart to his third Sprint Cup title in 2011.

2012: Second Career Victory at Phoenix

In 2019, Denny Hamlin achieved his sixth win of the year at Phoenix, marking his second career victory at that track since 2012.

2013: Rough Start to 2013 Season

In 2013, Denny Hamlin's season started with crashes in the Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel. He finished 14th at the Daytona 500. At Bristol, despite leading the most laps, he ran out of fuel. Controversy arose when Hamlin spun Joey Logano, leading to a heated exchange.

2013: Season outside Top Ten

In 2018, Denny Hamlin finished outside the top ten for the first time since 2013, when he missed four races due to injury.

2014: Martinsville Victory

In 2014 at Martinsville, Denny Hamlin overcame a penalty for an uncontrolled tire to win the race, edging out Brad Keselowski by 0.3 seconds. This marked his fifth victory at Martinsville.

2014: Start of Consecutive Race Streak

In 2014, Denny Hamlin started his 406 consecutive race start streak, which ended in 2025 when he missed the Mexico City race due to the birth of his son.

2014: Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel Wins

In 2014, Denny Hamlin won the pole position and led all three segments of the Sprint Unlimited, ultimately winning the race. He also won the second Budweiser Duel. In the Daytona 500, Hamlin started in third place, led for 16 laps, and finished second to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2014: First Championship 4 Since 2014

In 2019, Denny Hamlin advanced to the Championship 4 for the first time since 2014.

December 31, 2014: Probation for No. 11 Team

On December 31, 2014, members of Denny Hamlin's No. 11 team were placed on probation until December 31, 2014 due to penalties resulting from a failed post-race inspection at the Brickyard 400. Crew chief Darian Grubb and car chief Wesley Sherrill faced suspensions, and Hamlin was docked 75 driver points.

2015: Daytona 500 and Atlanta Race

In 2015, Denny Hamlin started at the rear in the Budweiser Duels due to a penalty during Daytona 500 qualifying. He finished 4th in the Daytona 500 but finished 38th at Atlanta after a wreck.

2016: Daytona 500 Victory

Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500 in 2016, adding a prestigious win to his career.

2016: Sonoma Race Performance

In 2016, Denny Hamlin returned to Sonoma, leading 12 laps during Stage 2 and staying in the top two for most of the race. However, he finished 4th overall, losing positions late in the race.

2016: Guest Analyst for Fox

In 2016, Denny Hamlin served as a guest analyst for Fox during the Xfinity Series race at Talladega.

2016: Daytona 500 win and Martinsville wreck

In 2016, Denny Hamlin won the Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona 500 by 0.011 seconds over Martin Truex Jr., the closest finish in Daytona 500 history. However, at Martinsville, Hamlin wrecked and finished 39th.

2016: Second Closest Finish

In 2020, Denny Hamlin's Daytona 500 win marked the second-closest finish in the race's history, only surpassed by Hamlin's 2016 win.

2017: Challenging Start to the Season

In 2017, Denny Hamlin had a challenging start to the season, finishing 17th in the Daytona 500 after a major crash and retiring from the race in Atlanta due to mechanical failures, resulting in a 38th-place classification.

2017: Southern 500 Victory

In 2017, Denny Hamlin once again triumphed at the Southern 500.

2017: Victory at New Hampshire

In 2017, Denny Hamlin won at New Hampshire, marking his 30th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his third Cup win at Loudon, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s first victory of the 2017 season.

2017: New Hampshire and Southern 500 Wins

In 2018, Denny Hamlin's winless season ended a 12-season streak, which included his victory at New Hampshire in July and his second Southern 500 win in 2017.

2018: Playoff Elimination and Winless Season

In 2018, Denny Hamlin finished third at the Daytona 500 and made the playoffs but was eliminated in the Round of 16. He finished the season in 11th place and had his first winless season, ending a 12-season streak of winning at least one race.

2019: Darlington Xfinity and Cup Wins

In 2017 at Darlington, Denny Hamlin won both the Xfinity race and the Cup race, leading 124 of 367 laps in the Cup race. However, both wins were deemed "encumbered" due to an illegal rear suspension component, resulting in penalties.

2019: Torn Labrum, Kansas Win, and Championship 4

In 2019, Denny Hamlin announced he had a torn Glenoid labrum and would have surgery after the season. He won at Kansas, advanced to the Championship 4 for the first time since 2014, and won at Phoenix, marking his second career victory at that track since 2012.

2019: Daytona 500 Victory and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

In 2019, Denny Hamlin won his second Daytona 500 and had victories at Texas, Pocono, and Bristol. He also suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning during the spring race at Dover. He advanced to the Round of 12 in the Playoffs.

2019: Daytona 500 Victory

In 2019, Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500.

September 21, 2020: Formation of 23XI Racing

On September 21, 2020, Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan announced the formation of 23XI Racing, a single-car team for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

2020: Second Consecutive Daytona 500 Win

In 2020, Denny Hamlin secured his second consecutive win at the Daytona 500, solidifying his place in NASCAR history.

2020: Third Daytona 500 Win and Ryan Newman Crash

In 2020, Denny Hamlin won his third Daytona 500, but the victory was overshadowed by a severe crash involving Ryan Newman. Hamlin later apologized for post-race burnouts while Newman's condition was unknown.

2020: Bristol Spring Race on Concrete Track

In 2020, the Bristol win marked the first spring race on the concrete track since 2020. This race sparked controversy due to significant tire wear.

September 5, 2021: Southern 500 Win

On September 5, 2021, Denny Hamlin won the Southern 500 at Darlington for the third time in his career, securing a spot in the Round of 12 in the Playoffs.

October 4, 2021: Bubba Wallace's First Cup Series Victory

On October 4, 2021, Bubba Wallace secured his first career Cup Series victory at Talladega, making history as the first African-American driver to win a Cup race since Wendell Scott in 1963.

2021: Another Southern 500 Win

Denny Hamlin won the Southern 500 in 2021, marking another significant achievement in his career.

2021: Playoff Berth and Criticism of Indianapolis Road Course

In 2021, Denny Hamlin secured a Playoff berth despite not winning any races during the Regular Season. He finished 23rd at the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard and criticized NASCAR's decision to use the road-course layout at Indianapolis.

May 16, 2022: Kurt Busch's Win at Kansas Speedway

On May 16, 2022, Kurt Busch delivered 23XI's second win at Kansas Speedway, leading 116 of 267 laps.

July 12, 2022: Tyler Reddick Joining 23XI Racing Announcement

On July 12, 2022, 23XI Racing and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) announced that Tyler Reddick would join the team full-time in 2024.

2022: Coca-Cola 600 Victory

In 2022, Denny Hamlin won the Coca-Cola 600, adding to his list of NASCAR Cup Series victories.

2023: Launch of 'Actions Detrimental' Podcast

In 2023, Denny Hamlin launched a weekly podcast with Dirty Mo Media called Actions Detrimental. The podcast airs every Monday morning and features content from the latest Cup Series race, fan questions, and race insights from Hamlin.

2023: Xfinity Series Victory at Darlington

In 2023, Denny Hamlin returned to the Xfinity Series after a two-year hiatus, driving Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 19 car to victory at Darlington in September.

2023: Reddick Replaces Busch for 23XI

In 2023, Tyler Reddick replaced Kurt Busch at 23XI Racing after Busch stepped away from full-time racing. Reddick's contract with Richard Childress Racing was bought out by 23XI.

2024: Playoff Appearances

As of 2024, Denny Hamlin has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in every full-time season, with the exception of 2013.

2024: Win at Busch Light Clash, Daytona 500 Wreck, Bristol Win & Engine Violation

In 2024, Denny Hamlin started the season with a win at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. At the Daytona 500, he wrecked with William Byron and finished 19th. He secured his first pole of the season at Phoenix, but spun out late. He claimed his first win of the season at Bristol. The No. 11 team faced an L2 penalty following an engine inspection violation.

2025: End of FedEx Sponsorship and Crew Chief Change

At the conclusion of 2025, it was announced that FedEx would not return as the sponsor of the No. 11 car, ending a 20-year partnership with JGR. On November 22, JGR promoted Chris Gabehart to competition director, while Chris Gayle was named the new crew chief for the No. 11 car starting in 2025.

2025: 2025 Season Highlights: Daytona 500, Phoenix, Progressive Sponsorship, Martinsville Win & Family News

Denny Hamlin's 2025 season included leading the final lap of the Daytona 500 before being wrecked. He secured second place at Phoenix and signed a deal with Progressive Insurance to be the primary sponsor. He won at Martinsville and waved a flag that read: "11 against the world". He also scored wins at Darlington and Michigan. Hamlin announced he would miss the Mexico City race due to the birth of his son.