Denny Hamlin Issues Statement After Father’s Death In House Fire
on Jan 02, 2026
A Fire Broke Out At NASCAR Driver Denny Hamlin’s Parents’ House On Dec. 28
On December 28th, WCNC in North Carolina reported that a fire broke out at the home belonging to the parents of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin.
Initial reports indicated that two individuals were inside the home and escaped the fire but suffered from “catastrophic” injuries.
It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the fire, which the Lucia-Riverbend Fire Department Chief deemed a “complete loss.”
Several hours after the fire, at 12:30PM CT on Dec. 29, it was revealed that one person passed away and the other had developed “life-threatening conditions,” however when this news came out, the victims’ identities had not been revealed.
At 7:10 CT on Dec. 30, WCNC reported that Hamlin’s 75-year-old father, Dennis Hamlin, had passed away from the injuries he sustained in the house fire, while Denny’s mom, Mary Lou Hamlin, had “critical injuries.”
Based on a tweet from Mary Lou in 2022, the fire took place on her and Dennis’ 52nd wedding anniversary.
Denny Hamlin Broke His Silence On December 31
One day after his parents’ identities was revealed, Hamlin broke his silence on X on the passing of his father and gave an update on his mother.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out with condolences on my father’s passing,” he wrote. “My mother continues to improve, and our family truly appreciates the outpouring of support and the respect for our privacy during this time.”
Hamlin’s loss comes just less than two weeks after the NASCAR community suffered another loss when former driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, kids Emma and Ryder, Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Duttin, and Jack Dutton all tragically passed away in a plane crash on December 18th.
We will keep Denny and the Hamlin family in our prayers as they mourn the loss of Dennis and pray Mary Lou recovers quickly and fully.
