Emergency crews were called to a residence in the Stanley area of Gaston County, North Carolina — around 20 miles from Charlotte — after a fire broke out shortly after 6:19 p.m. local time.

When firefighters arrived minutes later, two people had already been pulled from the four-bedroom home and were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Local authorities later confirmed that Hamlin succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. His wife, Mary Lou Hamlin, remains in critical condition and was transferred to a medical facility in Winston-Salem, where she is continuing to receive treatment.

Officials from Gaston County Emergency Management said the blaze caused extensive damage to the property, including structural collapse, making it impossible at this stage to determine the cause of the fire. An investigation is currently ongoing to shed light on the unfortunate event.

His son, Denny Hamlin, born on November 18, 1980, is one of the most successful drivers of his generation in the NASCAR Cup Series. Now 45, Hamlin has built a remarkable career defined by longevity, consistency.

Over the course of more than 720 Cup Series starts, he has amassed 60 victories — a total that places him joint 10th on the all-time wins list. He has also secured over 57 pole positions, underlining his reputation as one of the fastest drivers of his era across qualifying and race trim alike.

Hamlin’s résumé features some of NASCAR’s most prestigious events. He is a three-time Daytona 500 winner (2016, 2019 and 2020), triumphed in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2022, and claimed victory at the Southern 500 on three occasions (2010, 2017 and 2021).

His first Cup Series win came at Pocono Raceway back in 2006, marking the beginning of a long and successful top-level career. Despite his extensive list of achievements, one accolade has continued to elude him: a NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Hamlin has come agonisingly close on multiple occasions, finishing runner-up in the final standings — most notably in 2010 and again in 2025 — but has yet to secure the ultimate prize.