The devastating news has not only shaken the Hamlin family but also sent waves of concern through the NASCAR community, with fans openly debating what this personal tragedy means for the driver’s future.

Before Hamlin had the opportunity to brace himself for the upcoming season, a bigger and much more fatal tragedy struck his family. The home Denny Hamlin’s parents lived in succumbed to heavy fire in North Carolina. Both of them were seriously injured, and Dennis Hamlin lost his life to the wounds. His mother is still fighting her battle for life. If his loss in the NASCAR Cup Series was sad, we can imagine the situation he is in today. It is like his life has been overturned, and he finds himself at an impasse.

For better or for worse, when news like this reaches the internet—people are bound to add their reactions to it. It’s just like the constant hustle and bustle related to Michael Schumacher’s current condition. The community and forums are exploding with varied comments related to the driver and his future. There is sympathy; there are speculations, and there are multiple what-ifs that fans have come up with.

NASCAR fans discuss what might be Denny Hamlin’s next step

Denny Hamlin was not exactly the most popular driver on track. Yes, he is among the best on the grid. There’s a reason why he has the most wins without a championship in the NASCAR Cup Series. But his antics and aggression did not sit well with fans. There were multiple incidents of him getting booed on the track. Let’s not forget the infamous line, “I just beat your favorite driver.” But, after he dropped that line as per the wishes of his late father, he was starting to become more humble.

It seems that some fans now have a soft corner for him in their heart. “Never cared for the guy, but he turned me this past season. The guy could win all 36 races next year, and I’d have no problem with that.” People change, and sometimes these changes bring forward a positive outlook from even the biggest critics.

The thing about athletes is that they perform at the top only when they have the drive to do so, needing a lot of motivation to put their best foot forward. There are examples of athletes losing it all after a shock like the one Hamlin experienced. But there are also examples of athletes breaking down barriers to dedicate that success to the ones they loved the most. NASCAR is not different. A fan pointed out the example of Kyle Petty (even though he mentioned Richard Petty in his comments, which is not correct). “Kyle Petty was quite broken when he lost his son, Adam Petty. He couldn’t live with it and chose to extend his career even more.”

Another fan joined in, echoing the same opinion as he recounted a popular movie, “Athletes are kinda like that, kinda reminds me of Johnny Lawrence wanting to keep fighting after his mother’s death in Cobra Kai.” These high-performance athletes perform on the extreme ends of the mental spectrum. They become unstoppable or end up falling deep down from their peak. While there are talks about Denny Hamlin potentially retiring from sport or taking a sabbatical to help his mother or just take his mind off everything, some fans have opposed the idea strongly.

“They do it more to take their mind off things. If anything, I think Denny would want to complete his father’s dream by winning the championship. He is the best driver on the grid, and he knows it.” The reaction of the fans is leaning more towards supporting Denny Hamlin so that he can return to the field and bring forth the domination of a decade. “I don’t see how sitting on the sidelines on Sundays with his thoughts would make the situation any better. Jumping in a race car and forgetting about everything else will probably be the best thing for him.”

The hunger to perform makes one a complete beast. Even while fighting for his life, Niki Lauda was still thinking about the championship he was on the cusp of losing. He came back; he found his flow and took the championship fight with James Hunt to the final race of the 1976 season in Formula 1. Maybe Denny Hamlin is Denny Hamlin when he is behind the wheel of a powerful car, roaring through the ovals at top speed. It would be amazing if he chooses to stay in the sport and make it an exciting show to watch next year.

While these discussions may seem harmless on the surface, let’s not forget that the families are grieving currently. As one fan pointed out, “I think openly speculating about that at this point is a little tasteless. It’s one thing to talk about it in a private chat or discord server, but those conversations aren’t being seen by the public. Let this family grieve without also having to face the court of public opinion.” It is morally unethical of us to create a lot of drama surrounding the person who has lost their parent. So, instead of putting forward our thoughts on public forums, it would be much easier for the family if we discussed privately amongst ourselves.

May the late Dennis Hamlin rest in peace. Our thoughts and sincerest prayers are with Denny Hamlin and his family. We hope Mary Lou Hamlin recovers quickly from her injuries.