Denny Hamlin reveals toughest part of NASCAR retirement

Denny Hamlin has opened up on his impending retirement from NASCAR racing, having released a timeline for the end of his career.

The 44-year-old has confirmed that he intends to call it a career at the end of the contract he signed earlier this year, which runs until the end of the 2027 Cup Series season.

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The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran has lost none of his pace over the years, taking a series-leading five wins this year to install himself as one of the favorites to emerge triumphant from the championship race at Phoenix in November.

Hamlin has famously never won the championship, although he continues to insist that he prefers to hunt individual race wins rather than the big year-ending trophy.

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Hamlin admits he'll miss beating young racers

Speaking after winning at Gateway on Sunday to lock himself in to the playoff Round of 12, Hamlin admitted: "Certainly there will be a huge, huge void. I’ll find something else to latch onto. Certainly I’m a results-based person.

"When I can come out here and race against guys like half my age and be able to beat ’em, like, that’s very gratifying for me. That’s what I’m going to miss. That will be the toughest part about hanging it up."

The 23XI Racing co-owner also revealed that he wants to go out at the top of his game, explaining: “I’m just not going to leave this sport on my deathbed, you know, just leaking oil, running in the back of the pack.

"I have way too much pride for that. I’m way too cocky for that. There’s just no way. I want to be able to win my last race. To do that, I’m going to have to retire when I’m racing like this.”

“Just knowing that I put a timeline on the end. That to me has been the number one factor. I talked to [Kevin] Harvick the other day. I was just like, I knew exactly how many races were left. The countdown has begun."

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