Denny Hamlin Nursing Significant Injury Heading Into 2026 Season

It's been a tumultuous offseason for Denny Hamlin, who missed out on his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in heartbreaking fashion at Phoenix Raceway after a dominant afternoon last November. Hamlin had to endure the mental load of an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR and the sorrow of losing his father, Dennis, in a house fire.

Now, as Hamlin, 45, heads into the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign, his 21st full-time season in NASCAR's top division, prepared to nurse a significant injury.

In his media availability ahead of Wednesday's Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Hamlin revealed that he re-tore his right shoulder, which was surgically repaired following the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. According to Hamlin, the shoulder was bothering him near the end of the 2025 season, but after a fall, while going through the rubble of the housefire, which claimed the life of his father, Hamlin felt something wasn't right.

Hamlin says he will tough out the injury throughout the season and will have surgery to repair the shoulder at the conclusion of the 2026 racing season. Due to the timing of the injury, Hamlin said his only options were to deal with it or miss the opening few months of the season for recovery.

With NASCAR's change to the Chase format, sitting out isn't an option if Hamlin hopes to contend for a championship. Previously, a driver could receive a medical waiver from NASCAR, and as long as they won a race in the regular-season, it would allow them to advance to the Playoffs. Under the new championship format, only the top-16 drivers in the regular season championship standings will advance to the 10-race Chase for the Championship.

Hamlin and the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series field will hit the track for the first race of the season, the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Wednesday, February 4. This race serves as NASCAR's annual preseason exhibition event. On-track action is set to begin with practice and qualifying at 1:30 PM ET, and will be available on the FOX Sports App. The Last Chance Qualifier race will take place at 4 PM ET on FOX, and the Cook Out Clash Main Event will go live on FOX at 6 PM ET.