Denny Hamlin Mentions Retirement After Record-Setting Michigan Win
Make that three wins for Denny Hamlin in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver snatched his third checkered flag of the season when he topped the field Sunday at the 2025 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.
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Hamlin, who started third, led for a total of five laps, found his way in front of everyone when he passed by William Byron on lap No. 197. Byron led for 98 laps, but his car did not have enough fuel to keep up with Hamlin down the stretch.
Apart from it being Hamlin's third victory of the season, his success in Michigan also got him a place in the history books. According to NASCAR Insights, Hamlin's latest win was also his 57th overall with Joe Gibbs Racing, surpassing the team record previously held by Kyle Busch, who had 56.
Denny Hamlin (11) stands for the National Anthem before the start of the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Moreover, Hamlin is only the 10th driver ever in NASCAR history to win a race after having at least 700 career starts. Sunday's event was the 701st NASCAR Cup Series race for the 44-year-old Hamlin.
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Following the Michigan race, Hamlin spoke about what it's like to still win at this portion of his career.
"It feels good because I'm going to hate it when I'm not at the level I'm at now," Hamlin said, per Larry Lage of the Associated Press. "I will certainly retire very quickly after that."
Hamlin has always been a strong performer at Michigan International Speedway, where he's won three times in 35 career NASCAR Cup Series appearances there. He has also finished inside the top 10 in each of his last eight starts on that track, dating back to 2018.
Related: Upset Kyle Larson Takes Aim at Denny Hamlin and Another Driver at Michigan
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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