Denny Hamlin seems to be dedicated to retiring after the 2027 NASCAR Cup Sequence season, however Joe Gibbs Racing president Dave Alpern is not one hundred pc satisfied the group’s veteran driver will observe via.
“I will imagine that once I see it,” Alpern joked Wednesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Hamlin simply scored his second win of 2026 at Nashville Superspeedway on Could 31 and is predicted to be in rivalry for the championship this yr and subsequent. Whereas he is adamant that he desires to retire on the prime of his recreation, JGR could also be hesitant to let him accomplish that.
Will Denny Hamlin retire after 2027?
“He could must struggle us to depart,” Alpern mentioned. “If he is racing like this, they will be some conversations. I truly noticed Denny yesterday and I joked about that, I mentioned, ‘Let’s not get too hasty.’
“The beauty of Denny, he would not wish to do that until he seems like he can win each weekend. Proper now, he does. The best way I feel it will go down, I feel we’ll get to about this time subsequent yr and we’ll consider. If he is nonetheless operating like he is operating now this time subsequent yr, I would have a tough time pondering he is leaving. However you by no means know.”
If Hamlin does go away, nevertheless, JGR would want a brand new driver for the No. 11 Toyota come 2028. Hamlin’s sneakers can be massive ones to really feel, particularly on condition that he is been driving for Joe Gibbs Racing on a full-time foundation since 2006.
“Similar to NFL groups have a draft board and a free agent board the place they at all times know the standing of individuals, you are all of your choices on a regular basis,” Alpern mentioned. “We have got younger guys in [the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.] You by no means know what the state of affairs is within the storage with different drivers. There’s loads of shifting items.”
JGR at present has 4 full-time drivers within the O’Reilly Auto Components Sequence: 18-year-old phenom Brent Crews, 19-year-old William Sawalich, 21-year-old Taylor Grey and a NOAPS veteran in 29-year-old Brandon Jones. Toyota additionally has a plethora of expertise in its NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence and ARCA Menards Sequence pipeline, together with Kaden Honeycutt, Gio Ruggiero, Max Reaves and Isabella Robusto.
No matter who takes Hamlin’s seat and no matter once they take it, changing the 62-time Cup winner and future Corridor of Famer shall be no straightforward activity.
