RALEIGH, N.C. — NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s father has died and his mother was critically injured following a house fire in North Carolina, officials reported Monday.
Firefighters responded Sunday night to a two-story home near Stanley that was largely engulfed in flames, with fire visible in the attic, according to the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services.
Dennis Hamlin, 75, and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were found outside the house with severe injuries. Dennis Hamlin later died at a hospital, while Mary Lou Hamlin was hospitalized at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem.
The fire caused the home to collapse, and authorities are investigating the cause. The property, about 20 miles northwest of Charlotte, is owned by a company listing Denny Hamlin as its manager.
Hamlin, 45, a top NASCAR driver with 60 Cup Series wins including three Daytona 500 victories, has yet to win a Cup points championship, narrowly missing out in the season finale last month.
Earlier this year, Hamlin had spoken about his father’s serious illness and the sacrifices he made to support his NASCAR career, noting he wanted his father to witness his successes. Hamlin also mentioned his father during testimony in a federal antitrust trial involving NASCAR and 23XI Racing, which he co-owns with Michael Jordan.
