Dennis Hamlin, the father of NASCAR Cup Series veteran Denny Hamlin, has died from injuries suffered in the house fire that occurred Sunday night. Hamlin was 75.
Gaston County EMS confirmed the news Monday night. Dennis Hamlin, along with Mary Lou Hamlin, the 69-year-old mo ther of Denny Hamlin, had been transported to CaroMont Regional Medical Center after emergency responders arrived on the scene. Both were outside the home when those personnel arrived.
Mary Lou was described as being critically injured and is still being treated. She was transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center.
The fire occurred after 6 p.m. ET on Sunday night on Blacksnake Road in Stanley, North Carolina. The home was engulfed when firefighters arrived, and because of its location and the lack of water in the area, it took over two hours to extinguish the flames. Multiple departments responded to the scene.
Hamlin, a driver and owner in the Cup Series, owns the property. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Dennis Hamlin was instrumental in his son’s racing career. Not only did Hamlin’s parents fund his early driving days, but it often led to financial stress and arguments, as Denny Hamlin described this season. It was enough to keep Hamlin racing until he was discovered by JD Gibbs and signed by Joe Gibbs Racing in the early 2000s.
Hamlin has only ever driven for Gibbs. He also revealed that his father was in ill health this year and became emotional after winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to clinch a spot in the Championship 4. It was also his 60th career victory. He told the Associated Press before the season finale about trying to win his first championship, “I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it.”
Dennis Hamlin had been too ill to travel to the races. Mary Lou, however, has been a constant presence at the racetrack with her son.
