At 45, Denny Hamlin is still racing like a championship favorite. After narrowly missing out on the 2025 Cup Series title, he remains in the hunt for glory, currently sitting second in the 2026 standings. But even the best eventually reach the end of the road, and reports have linked Hamlin to a possible retirement once this season ends. Insiders are already floating possible replacements, and one young star in particular has suddenly come under the microscope.
Hamlin is currently contracted with Joe Gibbs Racing through 2027, but it is believed he is approaching the deal on a year-by-year basis. So, if he does eventually step away from the garage, Brent Crews is being touted as the successor.
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“I mean, and you know, listen, like I think if I told people in January Brent Crews is going to be the guy that replaces Denny Hamlin, they would have all laughed at me,” Freedie Kraft in Door Bumper Clear’s latest episode. “And now they’re looking at and going, ‘Oh, like that’s going to happen.’ You know, like I think that would be if Denny sticks to that timeline…but if he does get out of the car after next year, I think Brent Crews.”
The 18-year-old’s inexperience shouldn’t deter JGR. Just look at Connor Zilisch and how quickly he established himself as one of NASCAR’s brightest young stars. At just 18, he won 10 races during his rookie O’Reilly Series campaign last season, and now he is already behind the wheel of a Cup car for Trackhouse Racing. He hasn’t won any races yet, but has shown promising results, including a 14th-place finish at the Circuit of the Americas.
And while Crews hasn’t lined up his résumé with those many wins in the O’Reilly Series yet, the JGR development Driver has quietly become one of its most consistent racers. He extended his streak to five straight top-five finishes recently and added another milestone at Watkins Glen last weekend after winning Stage 1 of the Mission 200, making him the youngest stage winner in the series history.
Across nine races this year, the 18-year-old has already collected for top five and seven top-10 finishes while sitting 11th in the standings.
BRISTOL, TN – APRIL 11: Brent Crews, 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Mobil 1 Toyota looks on during practice for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA O Reilly Auto Parts Series Suburban Propane 300 on April 11, 2026 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: APR 11 NASCAR OReilly Auto Parts Series Suburban Propane 300 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260411689300
Whether Crews gets his big break early depends entirely on what Hamlin decides about his future. There may be reports suggesting he is nearing the end of his career, but Hamlin is not ready to shut the door just yet.
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“I’ve given Gibbs enough of a heads up that they are working on the plans for beyond, so as long as those go as planned, I still assume the end of ’27 is it,” Hamlin told reporter Matt Weaver two months ago. “I don’t want to go my last year, half a year, just wanting to get out. If I can have a final year that starts like this, I’m good.”
But even then, the veteran followed it up with a telling reminder: “You never know.” Maybe that long-awaited championship is still keeping Hamlin in the fight a little longer.
Can Denny Hamlin finally seal the deal in 2026?
For all 61 Cup Series wins, including four Daytona 500 trophies and countless playoff appearances, one thing still hangs over Hamlin’s career: the Cup Series championship. Hamlin has reached NASCAR’s postseason 18 times since 2006, yet the title has continued to slip from his grasp.
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In 2010, what many still consider the best season of Hamlin’s career, he won eight races and entered the Phoenix finale with a 15-point lead over Jimmie Johnson, who was chasing him in the standings. But balance issues with his car severely affected both pace and handling that day, leaving Hamlin to finish 12th while Johnson took the victory.
After the Championship 4 playoff format was introduced four years later, Hamlin reached the final round five times, with 2025 finally looking like his year. But in the finale, crew chief Chris Gayle made a costly decision. He called Hamlin in for four tires, allowing Kyle Larson, who took only two, to get ahead, take control of the race, and seal the championship in his favor. For Hamlin, the drought continued.
That is exactly why every strong Hamlin season suddenly feels bigger than just another playoff run. And so far, 2026 is shaping up to be one of those seasons.
In 12 races, Hamlin has already collected one pole position, seven top 10 finishes, five top fives, and a victory in Las Vegas. He has looked consistently fast across multiple track types, rather than relying on one-off performances.
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The No.11 driver has firmly planted himself inside the playoff picture with 438 points already on the board. For longtime fans who have watched title runs collapse before, this start feels different.
The biggest challenge, though, may not even be Hamlin himself. It is the monster season Tyler Reddick is putting together at 23XI Racing, the team Hamlin co-owns with Michael Jordan. Reddick currently sits 129 points ahead of him in #1.
But if there is one driver experienced enough to survive a long championship fight, it is Hamlin. At 45, he understands the postseason grind better than almost anyone left on the grid, and perhaps the urgency of knowing the clock is ticking on his career could finally push him over the line this time around.
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