Denny Hamlin finally broke through for his first victory of the 2023 NASCAR season at Kansas Speedway; however, it didn’t come without a little bit of controversy when Hamlin ended up turning Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson into the wall on the final lap.
The driver of the No. 11 car didn’t do it on purpose but it did cast a shadow over a classic battle at Kansas in the closing laps. Nonetheless, Hamlin finally claimed his first win of the season and can now focus a little bit more on his plans for next year.
Both Hamlin and FedEx’s contract with Joe Gibbs Racing expire at the conclusion of the 2023 season while 23XI Racing needs to work on a deal with Toyota Racing. What are the latest updates on Hamlin’s situation?
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Denny Hamlin gives updates on the future involving Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing
Hamlin has been with Joe Gibbs Racing since the 2005 season and since that point, he has tallied 49 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 42-year-old driver is one win away from 50 victories and it seems likely he will reach that goal this year.
However, there are more factors in play for him. Hamlin is working on a contract extension with the organization while trying to complete a deal between 23XI Racing and Toyota Racing. It will be a long process but there is significant hope that both will be completed.
The biggest taking point needs to be 23XI Racing and Toyota. The manufacturer convinced Legacy Motor Club to join the family for the 2024 season and beyond and said they will back eight entries moving forward.
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As of right now, 23XI Racing does not have a contract extension with Toyota but no one within the negotiations truly expects the deal to fall apart. “(23XI Racing) is working on it,” Hamlin said. “It’s gonna take time.”
The only way a deal with Toyota would likely fall apart is if Hamlin joins another race team; however, that feels unlikely based on the three-time Daytona 500’s comments about his future with Joe Gibbs Racing.
“I’ve always wanted to finish my career at (Joe Gibbs Racing) and I’m optimistic that will be the case,” Hamlin said. “There will be a time where my attention will be more needed as a team owner than a driver, but it’s going to be on my terms and when I want it to happen and when I think it needs to happen.”
Granted, NASCAR is a business and things can rapidly change with the snap of your fingers. Kyle Busch never envisioned a time when he would leave Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota but Mars, his sponsor, pulling out of the sport changed everything.
The organization wasn’t able to satisfy Busch’s contract demands while looking for sponsorship and he moved to Richard Childress Racing while taking Kyle Busch Motorsports, his NASCAR Truck Series team, to Chevrolet.
While this should not be an idea of what is coming for Hamlin, it does show that not everything is a guarantee nowadays. NASCAR will likely see Hamlin continue as a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and owner of a Toyota-backed team but until the ink on the contracts is dry, it’s important to watch moving forward.
Read More: Denny Hamlin nips Kyle Larson late for Cup Series win at Kansas
In the meantime, whether you are watching it live or looking for how to watch NASCAR on TV or another streaming platform, Sportsnaut has you covered for the upcoming weekend at Darlington Raceway!