What Is Denny Hamlin's Net Worth?
Denny Hamlin is an American NASCAR race car driver who has a net worth of $65 million. During his career, Denny Hamlin has been one of the highest-paid drivers in NASCAR. Between June 2018 and June 2019, he earned $14 million. That was enough to make him the third highest-paid driver in NASCAR for the period.
Early Life and Early Career
James Dennis Alan Hamlin, professionally known as Denny Hamlin, was born on November 18, 1980, in Tampa, Florida. However, he grew up in Chesterfield, Virginia. Hamlin is the youngest son of Dennis Hamlin and Mary Lou Clark.
In 1988, when Hamlin was just seven years old, he began his racing career by racing go-karts. By the time he was 15, he had won the WKA Manufacturers Cup. By the time he was 16 years old, Denny was racing mini-stock cars. In his first stock car race, Hamlin won the race.
In 2002, Denny won 10 Late Model races, and in 2003, he had 25 wins. By 2004, he was competing full-time in Late Model Stock Cars. He was soon signed to a driver development contract with Joe Gibbs Racing.
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NASCAR Career
In 2004, Hamlin competed in five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. He finished 10th in his NASCAR debut at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Later that year, he ran his first ARCA RE/MAX Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway, finishing third.
In 2005, Denny drove his first full season in the Busch series, finishing fifth in the final championship. He ended with 11 Top 10 finishes and earned over $1 million that season alone.
In 2006, Hamlin was given a full-time ride with Joe Gibbs Racing. He ran his first full season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. During this season, Denny was the first Rookie of the Year candidate to take home the Shootout victory. He also won his first Busch Series victory that year.
In the Cup Series, Hamlin won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award. He scored the highest points for a rookie and the highest since James Hylton in 1966. Therefore, Denny became the first-ever rookie to make the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup.
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In 2013, Hamlin started the season on a low note, crashing his cars in both the Sprint Unlimited and the Budweiser Duel. He improved the following weeks, yet as the season went on, a controversy sparked between Denny and his ex-teammate Joey Logano. Hamlin spun Logano out when the two were battling for position, which caused a verbal fight after the race was over. This rivalry with Logano lasted for years. The two fought side by side for the win in multiple races.
On September 21, 2020, Hamlin and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan announced they would be fielding a single-car team for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. From 2021 to 2023, Denny had very impressive seasons. He started the 2024 season with a win at the 2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. He also won at Bristol and Richmond – both filled with controversy due to restarts and overtime.
Personal Life
On January 1, 2024, Hamlin and Jordan Fish became engaged. Denny and Jordan have two daughters together. Hamlin has Ostraconophobia, also known as the fear of shellfish.
