Jokes about wanting Denny Hamlin for one more year show how good veteran is even in twilight years

Denny Hamlin has established that he wants to retire from NASCAR racing near the top of his game. Roughly 18 months from when he's expected to retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2027 season, he whomped the Cup Series field in Sunday's NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway.

It's safe to say the 45-year-old Hamlin, a winner of 61 points-paying Cup Series races and two All-Star races over a 20-year career, has not faltered. 

"He’s still at the top," said Heather Gibbs, co-owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "He definitely hasn’t fallen off. I think we keep joking [like], 'Hey, what about another year?' To have someone to be able to step into the 11 car and win, you’re not going to have that. Denny is kind of a legend in that car. I can’t even imagine thinking of putting someone else in that car."

Hamlin's contract is up at the end of 2027, and it's widely expected that the future Hall of Famer will hang it up. 

But performance such as Sunday's certainly reinforce the fact that Hamlin's performance isn't going to waver so long as he's still behind the wheel. 

Sunday's win is just another line on the impressive resume for Hamlin, who is second in the Cup Series standings going into the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24. 

Even if it doesn't officially count as a victory. 

"This one doesn’t count. It’s bullsh--," Hamlin said, laughing. "It’s cool. It will go on your résumé when they’re debating whether to put you in [the Hall of Fame] or not."

What Denny Hamlin's future holds

Hamlin certainly appears to be well on his way to an enshrinement in Charlotte, potentially as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The only thing missing from Hamlin's list of accolades is a Cup Series championship, which very well could be won by the Chesterfield, Va., native this season or next. 

That's how good Hamlin is even in the self-imposed twilight of his career. 

"I want to finish like this," Hamlin said. "I do. I do not want to go through the regression. My ego will not allow me to be mediocre. So, I mean, I’m going to have to leave some on the table at some point, right? In order to know that you can win your last race, you’re going to have to go into the next year saying, 'I’m not doing it, but I could have.'"

There's no doubt in Hamlin's mind that he can still win races at this point in his career, nor should there be. 

"it’s very weird and unique at this point in my career that I’m in this place," Hamlin said. "But, like, if we’re going to a track that turns left, I expect to win every single week. This is just very unique, especially in the era where all the cars are so similar, and I’m racing guys that have all my information, they see my setups, things like that, and still can get it done in the end.

"It’s very gratifying from my standpoint to still be competitive at my age."

Quotes provided by NASCAR Media.