NASCAR star Denny Hamlin’s father killed in house fire that left his mother critically hurt

FILE – Denny Hamlin looks on prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)

Officials say the father of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin died and his mother was critically injured after a fire heavily damaged the North Carolina home.

Gaston County, North Carolina, officials said that firefighters arrived Sunday night at a two-story home near Stanley that was mostly engulfed in fire, with flames showing through the attic. Stanley is near Charlotte.

Officials say 75-year-old Dennis Hamlin and 69-year-old Mary Lou Hamlin were found outside the home suffering from catastrophic injuries.

Officials say Dennis Hamlin later died from his injuries at a hospital and Mary Lou Hamlin was being treated at a burn center.

Denny Hamlin is one of NASCAR’s top stars. He has won 60 races in the top-tier Cup Series, including three Daytona 500s.

(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)