Dennis Hamlin, the father of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, died on Sunday after suffering injuries in a house fire, the association announced. He was 75. Dennis Hamlin and his wife, Mary Lou, were living in the home in Stanley, North Carolina. Mary Lou, Denny Hamlin's mother, was reported to be in critical condition and was taken to a hospital in Winston-Salem.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the fire. The fire was reported at 6:19 p.m. ET, with emergency crews reaching the home just eight minutes later, at 6:27, authorities told NASCAR.com. Since Stanley does not have fire hydrants, nearly a dozen fire departments were called in to help battle the blaze, according to local station WSOC-TV.
No One for Help
Lucia Riverbend Fire Department Chief David Toomey told WCNC-TV that when firefighters reached the scene, an estimated 40 to 45 percent of the house was already engulfed in flames. One person was initially trapped inside the home but was later rescued. Two people were rushed to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, and one of them was later pronounced dead.
Authorities subsequently confirmed the victim was Dennis Hamlin.
Denny Hamlin has not yet spoken publicly about the loss. Investigators also said the severe structural damage to the house has made it difficult to determine what sparked the fire.
Dennis Hamlin's son, Denny, is one of NASCAR's most successful drivers and co-owns the 23XI Racing team with NBA icon Michael Jordan.
Over his career, Hamlin has racked up 60 Cup Series wins—placing him tied for 10th on the all-time list—and has claimed victory in the Daytona 500 three times.
Devastating Loss
Hamlin has often spoken about the role his father played in his racing career, previously telling reporters that it was his dad who first introduced him to the sport and set him on that path. "Just took me to a race track when I was 5, then made all the sacrifices financially to keep me going. Sold everything they had. We almost lost our house a couple of times. Just tried to keep it all going. So I'm glad he was able to see 60. That was super important to me."
Denny's remarks about his father "seeing 60" were made amid a period of health concerns, yet Dennis went on to live another 15 years before passing away at 75 on Sunday evening.
Dennis had also spoken publicly about his son's racing journey, sharing the emotional moment he learned that Denny had reached the highest level of motorsport.
"One day, Denny pulled into our driveway and said, 'Dad, you're done,'" he told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"I said, 'I'm done what?' Denny said, 'You're done working and you're moving to Charlotte.' I said, 'I'm not going anywhere,' and he gave me the keys to a new house and said, 'It's furnished, take your clothes, sell the business. Mom works for me now. It's set. You're leaving. You're retired.'"
