The father of NASCAR star Denny Hamlin has died, and his mother remains hospitalized in critical condition after a destructive house fire tore through their North Carolina home over the weekend.
Local officials confirmed that Dennis Hamlin, 75, died from injuries sustained in the blaze, while his wife, Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, was critically injured and transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem for treatment.
The fire broke out Sunday evening at a two-story home in Stanley, about 20 miles northwest of Charlotte, in Gaston County. Emergency crews were dispatched shortly after 6 p.m. and arrived to find the residence largely engulfed, with flames visible throughout the attic. The structure later collapsed due to the extent of the damage. Investigators said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined and remains under investigation.
Officials said Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin were found outside the home after narrowly escaping the flames but had suffered “catastrophic injuries while escaping.” Both were initially transported to CaroMont Regional Medical Center, where Dennis Hamlin later died. Mary Lou Hamlin was subsequently moved to a specialized burn facility.
The home is owned by a real estate company managed by Denny Hamlin, according to property and business records cited by authorities. While the house appears to be a total loss, fire officials noted that some vehicles, along with racing memorabilia stored in the garage, were salvaged.
NASCAR released a statement offering condolences to the family: “NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to Denny Hamlin and the entire Hamlin family. Dennis Hamlin instilled a love of racing in his son, and sacrificed greatly to develop Denny into a world-class talent in the sport. We also continue to offer our thoughts and prayers to Denny’s mother, Mary Lou, and hope for her full recovery.”
A three-time Daytona 500 winner, Hamlin currently ranks tied for 10th on NASCAR’s all-time Cup Series wins list with 60 victories and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation. The tragedy comes just months after Hamlin, 45, captured the 60th victory of his NASCAR Cup Series career, a milestone he dedicated to his father. He has long credited his parents—particularly his father—with making extraordinary sacrifices to support his racing ambitions from an early age. Hamlin said after that October win: “He’s the one who got me into racing, took me to the track when I was five, sold everything they had, you know, we almost lost our house a couple times, and just tried to keep it all going. I’m just glad he was able to see 60.” Hamlin had previously also shared that his father’s health had been declining and acknowledged the emotional significance of that victory: “I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him going and never getting to see the moment,” he said at the time.
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