Denny Hamlin drops NASCAR retirement hint after JGR contract decision

Denny Hamlin has signed a "multi-year" contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing, but has admitted that he could retire before the end of his new deal with the team

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Denny Hamlin has suggested he's preparing to wrap up his tenure in NASCAR with Joe Gibbs Racing after signing a "multi-year" contract extension with the organization on Friday. The veteran driver has dedicated his entire 20-year Cup Series journey to the team, though questions had emerged regarding his future as his previous agreement approached its end.

But Hamlin, who won the most recent race at Dover after an unusual pit stop request, will remain with the team beyond this year, where the 44-year-old has already won four races in the No.11 Toyota. Hamlin also serves as co-owner of 23XI Racing with basketball legend Michael Jordan, recently addressing the reality of their lawsuit, and had previously considered the possibility of competing for his own operation.

When questioned during his pre-race media session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway about whether this would mark his last contract renewal, Hamlin responded: "I would say probably most likely. Who knows? But most likely."

The driver clarified that his fresh agreement spans two years initially, with provisions to extend further. But he emphasized his desire to avoid overstaying his welcome in NASCAR's premier division, hinting he knows retirement is not too far away.

"Two years is what I was comfortable with," he explained. "I wanted to make sure I gave them the proper time and make sure I commit to them for not one year but multiple years, to let them try to continue to build the program. I want to make sure I'm still at my peak form in my final year."

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The announcement of Hamlin's contract renewal came via an official statement released Friday, with the driver commenting: "Joe and everyone at JGR are family to me and have done so much for me over the last 20 years.

"We've had a solid start to this season and we have been able to welcome some great new partners this year, so there are a lot of exciting things happening with our team not only now, but also into the future."

Team owner Joe Gibbs added: "I really appreciate Denny and everything he has meant to our organization.

"It is just really special when you think about everything we've experienced over the past 20 years, from that first moment when J.D. [Gibbs] recognized his talent at a test session, until now. It is remarkable in any sport to compete at the level Denny has for this long and we are thrilled he has been able to spend his entire career with us."