A fire at the home of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s parents on Sunday left his father dead and his mother injured, officials confirmed to ABC News.
Firefighters in Gaston County, North Carolina, were dispatched at 6:19 p.m. to the two-story home that was “mostly engulfed, with flames showing through the entire attic,” when they arrived, the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services said in a statement.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 04: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Denny Hamlin speaks to the media during NASCAR Champions week at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on November 04, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
The residents of the Stanley community home, Dennis Hamlin, 75, and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were found outside, appearing to have suffered from “catastrophic injuries while escaping the flames,” officials said.
They were both transported to an area hospital, where Dennis Hamlin died from his injuries. Mary Lou Hamlin was transferred to a burn center where she is actively being treated, officials said.
The cause of the fire is currently undetermined, but the investigation is ongoing, according to officials.
Denny Hamlin ranks in a tie for 10th on the NASCAR Cup Series’ all-time win list, according to the league, with 60 big-league victories, including three Daytona 500 triumphs.
ABC News’ Chris Barry contributed to this report