Joe Gibbs Racing star Denny Hamlin’s current contract with the team culminates at the end of the 2027 season. However, Hamlin’s form has JGR co-owner Heather Gibbs opening the door for the No.11 Toyota driver to extend beyond 2027.
Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup Series win at Pocono was his third consecutive win as he reduced the gap to Tyler Reddick in the championship to just 19 points. While Hamlin has hinted at his retirement not being too far away in the distance, Heather Gibbs came out after the race at Pocono and revealed how JGR is pushing to extend the 45-year-old.
“I think he wanted to be back. He had records to break. He had something to prove. He’s doing it now. We joked, we were like, You’re a spring chicken, you have so many years left. Now we’re trying to think of how we can keep him longer. With Denny, he’s been outstanding,” said Heather Gibbs
Denny Hamlin isn’t getting any younger and is already 45 years old. Yet, he is still performing at the top level, and the same has made it difficult for Joe Gibbs Racing not to consider extending his contract. Hamlin, however, has other areas in life that he wants to focus on, including his own NASCAR Team with Michael Jordan, 23XI.
Speaking about whether Denny Hamlin could sign a contract extension, Ty Gibbs’ mom, Heather Gibbs, said,
“I think for Denny, he wants to leave on top, right? He doesn’t want to leave where it was one year too long. At this rate, what he’s producing out there, it’s not something you would not consider. We want the best drivers in our cars.”
“Our teams work to put the best cars on track. If it works out and he’s still producing and he wants to, it’s a huge commitment for him, he’s got his own team that he kind of wants to run. It’s hard when you dangle checkered flags in front of him, too,” she added
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Chris Gayle on whether Denny Hamlin will be able to keep up with Tyler Reddick at the upcoming road courses
While Denny Hamlin is the driver in form, Tyler Reddick has had the pace around road courses (apart from Shane van Gisbergen). Chris Gayle was questioned on whether Hamlin can keep up with Reddick and further reduce the deficit at the upcoming races at Coronado and Sonoma.
“I look at San Diego in particular as a wild card. I think there’s going to be a lot of chaos there. It’s unknown for everybody. I look at it from a Chicago Street Course. We finished fourth with him Chicago Street Course last race. I’m optimistic that we should be able to go do that there,” said Gayle
“I’m optimistic that Sonoma, we weren’t particularly great last year, but we have two or three cars at every racetrack that are good. We have information and help at Joe Gibbs Racing to help the one who may not be quite as good there,” he added
Denny Hamlin became the first driver since Darrell Waltrip in 1981 to win three consecutive races and take pole position at each of them.
