Not Dale Earnhardt’s Win Total, This Is Denny Hamlin’s Only Goal Left Before NASCAR Retirement
Mar 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin (11) during qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Credits- Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images For years, Denny Hamlin kept his eyes on the 60 win mark, hinting that there’s not much left for him to achieve in the sport once he reached that number. His win in Las Vegas last Sunday means he now sits at 61, leaving the garage wondering what’s next.
Well, Hamlin has decided he wants to go after that one thing that slipped through his fingers in 2025. Hamlin’s Cup Series Championship aspirations came crashing at the Phoenix Raceway last season following a dodgy last-lap call made by crew chief Chris Gayle. Since then, Hamlin has treated wins as the measure that no one can take away.
With his deal at Joe Gibbs Racing set to run through next season, he has marked 67 as the number to reach before he calls time on his run. Yet the chase is not tied to a number alone. The Title sits at the top of his list after his near miss in 2025.
Speaking ahead of the race at Darlington Raceway, Hamlin stated that the end goal has not changed. “It’s just now, can we get the big prize at the end of the year? That’s the only goal left to have, other than the Brickyard (400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway), is certainly one that still is mindful (for) me personally,” he said .
With 61 wins on the board, he is closing in on Kyle Busch and his mark of 63, a number that could fall before long. Some have looked further up the chart and drawn a line to Dale Earnhardt , who has a total of 76. Hamlin, for his part, does not see that as a road he will travel.