Denny Hamlin admits his Joe Gibbs Racing contract extension is “most likely his final one”

Denny Hamlin has commented on his latest extension with Joe Gibbs Racing and termed it as possibly his “final” one. He also spoke about what keeps him going at this age and competing at the highest level.

Hamlin signed a multi-year extension to remain in the No. 11 Toyota with Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series until at least 2027. The extension, while multi-year, did not specify the length or terms publicly. Although Hamlin said he was comfortable with a two-year deal and called this to be likely his last extension.

Hamlin, 44, just scored his 58th Cup race win. He leads the series this year, with four wins to his name, and is currently ranked fourth in points overall. He is also the longest-tenured driver at Joe Gibbs Racing, having competed for the team since he started his NASCAR Cup career in 2005.

Hamlin feels a strong bond with the team and owner Joe Gibbs, rating their relationship and the history they've built together and ability to welcome new partners, and dive headfirst into building the future.

To a question during his press conference (via Frontstretch), Hamlin was asked if it will be his final contract extension with JGR and he replied:

"I would say probably most likely, yeah. Who knows, but most likely."

To a previous question about what keeps him going at this age, he said:

"I would say it's kind of a two-fold thing. Some of it is myself motivating, right? Goals I'd like to reach in the Cup Series. Really strong relationship with Joe, doing it for them and their family as well to keep going. And then obviously the ability to win week in, week out. That certainly is a high motivating factor in wanting to do this." "Certainly, I think about on a weekly basis, would I want to do this if I didn't have the ability or couldn't win as much? I probably would not. The motivation wouldn't be there, but certainly as competitive as I am, I'm motivated by being able to win."

Kevin Harvick, a former rival of Denny Hamlin, recently praised the driver's 2025 NASCAR season success despite numerous external challenges.

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Kevin Harvick breaks down how chaos fuels Denny Hamlin’s success in NASCAR

Kevin Harvick highlighted that while Denny Hamlin has faced significant distractions, including a pending legal trial related to his team 23XI Racing, managing parenthood with a newborn at home, and ongoing uncertainties with NASCAR's car regulations, he continues to perform exceptionally well on the track.

According to Harvick, Hamlin thrives in this kind of turmoil rather than being hindered by it, demonstrating remarkable focus and resilience during the season.

"Everything around him [Denny Hamlin] is, maybe it's not a disaster, but it's in turmoil. Now, you've got to go all the way into the end of the year to have this December trial and everything with NASCAR, your cars are unchartered, you've got a new baby at home, a newborn child at home that you're trying to figure out how to balance life, but I think he does better when it's like that. I really do," Kevin Harvick said. (16:01 onwards)

In 2025, Denny Hamlin has delivered notable performances including four wins. With victories at Martinsville, Darlington, Michigan, and Dover, he has been among the top drivers this season.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl