Dennis Hamlin, 75, the father of NASCAR star Denny Hamlin, died Sunday night after a blaze ripped through the family’s home near Stanley, North Carolina, and his 69‑year‑old mother, Mary Lou Hamlin, was rushed to a burn center in critical condition, officials said. The fire, which flames were seen through the attic, prompted a rapid response from Gaston County firefighters, who found the two victims outside the collapsing two‑story house. Dennis Hamlin later died at a hospital, while Mary Lou Hamlin was taken to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston‑Salem for treatment.
Denny Hamlin, a 45‑year‑old driver for Joe Gibbs Racing who has won 60 NASCAR Cup Series races and three Daytona 500s, has not commented publicly on the tragedy. Earlier this season, Hamlin told the Associated Press, “I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him going and never getting to see the moment.” The family’s home is listed in county property records as owned by Won One Real Estate, a company that names Denny Hamlin as its manager.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said, and no further details have been released at this time.