“I’m gonna need some time on this one.” Those were Denny Hamlin’s words after the 2025 NASCAR season wrapped up, hinting towards his 2026 plans after the heartbreak at Phoenix. After the crushing disappointment of the championship loss, an early retirement didn’t feel out of the question. Plenty of fans and fellow members of the NASCAR community wondered, some anxiously, whether Denny Hamlin might pull a Carl Edwards-style exit.

Hamlin admitted that, in the immediate aftermath of Phoenix, he wanted nothing to do with racing. He needed a distance, from both the sport and from the driver’s seat. Now, chasing a reset in the postseason and with a couple of weeks behind him, the No. 11 driver is finally opening up about it.

Denny Hamlin admits to considering retirement

Only days shy of turn

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