Heather Gibbs Teases Keeping Denny Hamlin from Retiring After 2027 Season

Right now, it's hard to imagine Denny Hamlin backing down and retiring after the 2027 season is over. That's the stated plan for now, but after winning three races in a row for the first time in his career, and looking like the best version of himself, Heather Gibbs might have other ideas.

Following the win, Heather Gibbs spoke to the media at Pocono. Denny Hamlin is doing things he's never done before on the track at the age of 45. He's cut down Tyler Reddick's points lead which at one point appeared insurmountable. Now, his team owner is talking about keeping him around a little longer.

"He had records to break," Heather Gibbs said of Hamlin coming back for the 2026 season. "He had something to prove. He's doing it now. We joked, we were like, 'You're a spring chicken, you have so many years left.' Now we're trying to think of how we can keep him longer. With Denny, he's been outstanding."

Gibbs was asked directly about keeping Denny Hamlin longer than the 2027 season. For that, she noted that with the success the team is having, it might be in consideration.

"I think for Denny, he wants to leave on top, right?" Gibbs responded. "He doesn't want to leave where it was one year too long. At this rate, what he's producing out there, it's not something you would not consider. We want the best drivers in our cars. Our teams work to put the best cars on the track. If it works out and he's still producing and he wants to, it's a huge commitment for him, he's got his own team that he kind of wants to run. It's hard when you dangle checkered flags in front of him, too."

Right now, Toyota is the best manufacturer in the Cup Series, Joe Gibbs Racing is giving Denny Hamlin pole-winning and race-winning cars. So, why not stick around if this continues through 2026 and 2027? Perhaps the only thing that could put Hamlin into retirement while he's winning is if he finally gets his championship.

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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 2:19 PM.