Overview
- Hamlin said he has given Joe Gibbs Racing ample warning and still assumes the end of 2027 will be his last full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, while allowing that plans can change.
- He set a personal target of 67 career wins based on his recent average of about 3.5 wins per year after notching No. 61 with his March 15 Las Vegas victory.
- Crew chief Chris Gayle told SiriusXM that Hamlin’s timeline might shift and said he expects Hamlin to continue full-time only as long as he remains competitive.
- Hamlin said he does not want a farewell tour and identified a first Cup championship, along with the Brickyard 400, as the goals that matter most.
- These signals come after a narrow 2025 title loss and the offseason death of his father, as JGR begins succession planning for its No. 11 Toyota.