Denny Hamlin may not be done racing just yet, but he appears to have already identified who could replace him at Joe Gibbs Racing.

The Michigan race winner was asked if he would continue till 2027 or retire immediately if he won the Cup series this year. 

Hamlin, who has only ever driven for JGR in the Cup series, in a run that is in its 21st year, clearly cares for the Joe Gibbs Racing organization and will wish they have a smooth transition when he leaves the team.

Speaking on those lines, the 11 driver said,  “Well, I have a commitment to Joe no matter what, whether we win this year or not. I told them, just check with me in six months. I don’t wanna leave them in a flux.”

While Hamlin said that he doesn’t want to jeopardize the team’s future, he reiterated that he has given Joe Gibbs enough of a heads-up and can already see which driver in the Toyota pipeline is likely to take the wheel behind the No. 11 Toyota. 

Hamlin said, “They’ve got a great driver, Brent Crews, who's gonna be ready more than likely by the end of next year.” Hamlin added that continuing beyond 2027 would be a challenge, “I find it really hard to believe that we would be at this level at this time next year.”

Hamlin pointed to the same driver that Jordan Bianchi from The Athletic had predicted as Hamlin’s successor back in 2025 when Hamlin signed his contract. 

Crews is an 18-year-old driver who was born when Hamlin already had 2 full seasons under his belt. But Crews is testimony to what the Toyota driver programme is all about. He wasn’t allowed to compete in the first 4 Auto Parts races this year because of his age and still has 8 top 10 finishes in 12 races.

Hamlin ready for downfall, Gibbs reluctant to let him go

Over 700 races and 20 full seasons together, and it seems like Joe Gibbs can still not get enough of Hamlin. While Hamlin remains clear that a downfall could come and he doesn’t want to be driving at a point where he feels like he wants the end to be near, Joe Gibbs sees things differently. 

Gibbs, who has the experience of winning Super Bowl titles as well as Cup series crowns, would be hoping that his loyal number 11 gets the elusive crown this time around. But he is hopeful that Hamlin recognizes what he is currently achieving and continues with JGR beyond 2027. 

Gibbs said, “I joke with him, we have a five-year deal ready, but really no, I’m dead serious. From my standpoint, any athlete that is really performing like that, I’ve had athletes at different times in football come to me and say, ‘Hey coach, should I come back and try it,’ and I always give the same advice.”

What is Coach Gibbs’ advice? “When you’re still performing that way, you never look back in life. So, I’ll probably say the same thing to Denny, but yeah, we reached out with that two-year deal, and I think we want Denny to stay with us.”

It isn’t just Coach Gibbs; after Hamlin was sent to the back of the grid for a starting violation in Nashville, Heather Gibbs said that Hamlin is the best driver in the sport. But the call remains firmly with Hamlin, who seems to have made up his mind already.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri