Denny Hamlin enters the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season following one of the strongest and most demanding years of his 21-year Cup career. He led the series in wins, fought for the title until the final overtime, and balanced that effort with a developing federal lawsuit in which his own team is a central figure. Hamlin also navigated the emotional strain of his father’s failing health and missed race weekends for the birth of his son. Through all of it, he remained one of the sport’s best drivers. But he also revealed a potential title could push him toward an early exit, before his contract ends in 2027. Thanks for the submission! “I would have begged Joe to let me quit”: Denny Hamlin on his early retirement Denny Hamlin’s 2025 title loss still hangs over the garage. He controlled most of the day, led 208 laps, and looked set to secure his first Cup Series title. A late caution erased his lead and flipped the race. He took four tires while many gambled with two, including Kyle Larson. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran restarted 11th and finished sixth as Larson won his second title, finishing third. Two weeks later, on his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin admitted how close he came to ending his career right then. “I would have begged Joe (Gibbs) to let me quit had I won that race. it would have been the perfect way for me to go out. But they’re not ready for that yet. they have to have time to work on my succession plan and obviously we set a date out now to at least come to when that is. We know what’s the lifeline left. But, I would have really asked him a big favor to let me end on that one, had it gone well.” (35: 10 onwards) The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has already confirmed that this contract extension will be his last. A strong 2026 brings the possibility of ending it even earlier, especially if a championship arrives. Can Denny Hamlin repeat a year like 2025: “I’ll try” Denny Hamlin’s 2025 numbers were elite. He earned his 60th win, scored 14 top-5 finishes, five poles, and led 1, 024 laps, the third-most in the series. And yet the title slipped away. That loss shapes his 2026 mindset. His remarks after Phoenix made that clear. Speaking after the finale, Hamlin was asked if he could rebuild for another run. “I’ll try. I got a couple more shots at it. Hamlin’s future also depends on NASCAR’s coming playoff changes. The current 3-3-3-1 format has been criticized by fans, former drivers, and team insiders. Though NASCAR has confirmed a change is coming, the shape of that is still unknown. Hamlin has been a loud critic of the current system. Asked if another year under the old rules would have meant, he answered in the Actions Detrimental Podcast: “Very, very. It doesn’t make me want to race right now in this moment anymore. it’s still so fresh. I want nothing to do with racing right now.” If Hamlin wins the 2026 championship, the decision becomes clearer. A final title after two decades of trying would give him the ending he wanted. It would also open the door for Joe Gibbs Racing to accelerate its long-term plan. Brent Crews enters 2026 in a full-time O’Reilly Series seat. William Sawalich remains a key prospect. Corey Heim, the 2025 Truck champion, is another option. Regardless, the countdown to life after Denny Hamlin has already started.
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