Denny Hamlin confirms Joe Gibbs' replacement plan when he retires from NASCAR

Sahil Kurup Mon, June 8, 2026 at 3:56 AM UTC

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Denny Hamlin spoke about when he might retire

Denny Hamlin spoke about when he might retire (Image: Getty)

Denny Hamlin has confirmed that teenager Brent Crews is the plan to replace him in the No. 11 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing when he steps away from full-time Cup Series competition.

Crews has had a unique racing upbringing and spoke exclusively to Express U.S. Sports about his journey before his impressive start to life in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.

The 45-year-old Hamlin made clear after Sunday's Michigan win that his retirement is still on course for the end of 2027, even if part of him is finding that decision harder to commit to by the week. The revelation came after Hamlin honored Kyle Busch moments after a dominant win at Michigan with an emotional post-race tribute.

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Starting from the rear of the field after unapproved adjustments, he drove through the entire 37-car field to lead the final 39 laps and win the FireKeepers Casino 400 by 11.11 seconds, the largest margin of victory of his career.

It was his third win of 2026 and 63rd overall, tying the late Kyle Busch for ninth on the all-time Cup Series wins list.

When asked about what success this late in his career means for his retirement timeline, Hamlin outlined exactly what JGR has planned.

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"I have a commitment to Joe, no matter what, whether we win this year or not," he said. "At the end of next year - I told them, just check with me in six months. I don't want to leave them in flux. They've got a great driver in Brent Crews that's gonna be ready more than likely by the end of next year."

Crews, 18, is a Toyota development driver and one of the most decorated young prospects in motorsport. He won six ARCA Menards Series races before turning 18, and this season has posted eight top-ten finishes and five top-fives in his first 12 starts in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, despite missing four races due to NASCAR's age restrictions.

He is on the cusp of a spot in The Chase despite the reduced start count. The Athletic reported last August that Crews was the leading candidate for the No. 11 seat whenever Hamlin stepped away.

Whether Hamlin's body lets him make it cleanly to 2027's end is its own question. He was candid about what aging in the sport looks like.

"There's three things that happen: You lose your eyesight, you lose your reaction and your body hurts," he said. "The body hurts are there. It's there. During the week, I'm not recovering as quick. But the other two things are sharp. I want to go out like this."

He also drew a precise line about career milestones. With 63 wins he is now tied for ninth. Dale Earnhardt sits eighth with 76. "If I can win one more and put myself in ninth alone, the next jump, I'm not gonna get there," he said. "So what am I doing? I'm content."

And yet, pressed on whether a repeat performance in 2027 might make him reconsider, Hamlin left the door ajar. "If I'm at this point and this fast at this point next year, it would be a tough, tough decision."

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Source: “AOL Sports”