NASCAR veteran driver Denny Hamlin says he intends to race the entire 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season despite suffering a torn shoulder muscle during the off-season.
Wednesday, prior to the NASCAR Clash, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin confirmed he has again torn the muscle in his left shoulder that led to his highly publicized surgery during the 2024 offseason.
Despite his injury, Hamlin says he intends to race throughout the season, as opposed to missing a large portion of the season for surgery to repair the tear.
As mentioned above, Hamlin had surgery on this shoulder prior to the 2024 season. But, at least as of the preseason, he claims he has yet to have the same difficulties he had during his original shoulder injury.
In the past, some drivers could opt to miss a portion of the season and keep their title hopes alive, but with NASCAR’s recent shift to the Chase points format, which does not lock a driver in with a win, injured drivers who miss a large portion of the season will likely miss the 16-driver field.
This conversation with the media was the first for Hamlin following a challenging offseason, in which the 45-year-old lost his father following a fire at his parents’ home in late December.
Hamlin’s mother, Mary Lou, was in critical condition after the fire, though Hamlin has shared on social media that her condition had improved in the days after the fire.
This tragedy compounded a frustrating end to the 2025 season, in which Hamlin looked destined for his first Cup Series title, only for a late caution and poor pit strategy to take it away.
While Hamlin is still a winning driver, his age, combined with a now recurring injury and the pressure of having yet to win a title, likely factored into this bold decision to stay in the car for the entirety of the 2026 season.
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