A view of the NASCAR logo. Peter Casey-Imagn Images

NASCAR star Denny Hamlin's father, Dennis, dies at 75 after house fire

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Dec 29, 2025 8:11 PM ET

Dennis Hamlin, the father of NASCAR Cup Series superstar Denny Hamlin, died at the age of 75 from injuries suffered in a house fire on Sunday evening.

The house that Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin resided in was located in the community of Stanley in Gaston County, North Carolina.

First responders arrived at 6:27 p.m. ET Sunday at the home, which was lost in the fire.

Mary Lou, Hamlin's mother, is being treated at a hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, roughly an hour-and-a-half away from Stanley.

Sad news: Gaston County EMS confirms that Denny Hamlin's father, Dennis, died from his injuries at the hospital from the Sunday night fire. His mother, Mary Lou, was transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem, where she is actively being treated
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) December 29, 2025

Denny Hamlin's parents had a major impact on his racing career, which has turned into one that will one day be forever enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Hamlin ranks 10th on NASCAR's all-time wins list with 60 Cup Series victories.

Denny Hamlin's dad was key player in son's career

After a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 12 that ensured him a spot in the Championship 4, Denny Hamlin said that it was his father who got him into racing and that his parents had to make sacrifices in order to keep his racing dream alive.

"(They) certainly got the life now that they deserved before I decided to do this," Denny Hamlin said.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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