Denny Hamlin shares heartfelt message after giving Joe Gibbs a career milestone: “I wanted to get 200 really bad for these guys”

Denny Hamlin secured his series-best fifth win of the 2025 season at Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at World Wide Technology Raceway. The victory carried a weight that stretched far beyond another trophy. After the race, the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver shared heartfelt message on what the win meant not just for himself, but for Toyota and owner Joe Gibbs.

Denny Hamlin, who has been competing with JGR since his Cup debut, delivered the organization a milestone victory, marking the 200th NASCAR Cup Series win for Toyota. 59 out of 200 victories have been named for Hamlin. The Gateway win also advanced him to the Round of 12 of the Playoffs.

Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Denny Hamlin reflected on the historical significance of his win at Gateway in the Toyota and JGR’s legacy. The #11 driver clarified how much the team meant to him as he admitted that reaching 200 Cup wins for Toyota was something he desperately wanted to achieve for his team.

“It's monumental in so many different ways. Obviously, this ties me with Kyle with the most wins in a Toyota. You know this been a lot. I wanted to get 200 really bad for these guys and I certainly knew I wasn't going to be around for the 300. So this is my last opportunity to get a big win for them,” Hamlin said.

Toyota is fourth on the list in the total number of wins secured by a NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer. Chevrolet is NASCAR’s most successful manufacturer with 878 wins, followed by Ford and Dodge with 746 and 217 wins, respectively.

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“There will be a huge, huge void”: Denny Hamlin touched on retirement after Gateway playoff victory

Following his impressive win at Gateway, in the post-race interview, NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin spoke about retirement when the reporter’s questions were centered around his career and retirement. Hamlin, who is 44 years old, has earned five wins this season and is in a position to claim the elusive NASCAR Cup title.

In the post-race interview, Hamlin admitted that there will be a huge void in his life after NASCAR retirement. Sharing his thoughts on retirement, Hamlin said (via Speedway Digest):

“I mean, certainly there will be a huge, huge void. I’ll find something else to latch onto. Yeah, I mean, 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”

Denny Hamlin is leading the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings with 2120 points. His teammate Chase Briscoe is also locked into the next round of playoffs, thanks to his Darlington victory.