NASCAR Cup Series
News
•By Graham Shaw
Fourteen months after the event, Joe Gibbs Racing star Denis Hamlin revealed a secret health issue that left him in “poor shape” last season.
THE NASCAR Cup Series great has revealed the agony he endured from illness and subsequent injury on his most miserable day in a race car in 2024.
The 44-year-old, a 58-time Cup Series winner, was asked to detail his lowest point in a race car during a Q&A interview with Athletics this week. In response, Hamlin brought up a painful memory that, until now, had remained a team secret.
It happened at the inaugural Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway in June 2024, and it got off to a bad start. In total agony, to be exact.
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Hamlin reveals Iowa’s agony
Hamlin said: “As far as pain goes, I’ve had a few. Probably the worst was at Iowa last year. Nobody really knew, but I had a fever, which made my body weak, and then I threw my back out.
“I remember during the pit stops I told the jackman, ‘You can’t just drop the jack, you have to squeeze it down.’ I was in really bad shape.”
Asked if he talked about it at the time, Denny replied: “No, I just blew it. I did two laps to start that race because I felt so horrible.”
It was a start that Hamlin was unable to recover from as he finished the 350-lap race (348 for him) in 24th place.
Hamlin: People are wrong about me
The Joe Gibbs Racing superstar was also asked what people get most wrong about him – and the answer was interesting.
“I mean, I don’t think I’m an asshole,” Hamlin joked.
“Most likely these are people who have never met me or seen me walking somewhere and didn’t have time to stop. I always try to do that when I can.
“Or maybe the stupid things I do on the track make them think that’s just who I am.”
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