Father of NASCAR's Hamlin dies after house fire

"Firefighters in Stanley arrived Sunday night at a two-story home that was mostly engulfed in fire, with flames showing through the attic, the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services said in a news release. Dennis Hamlin, 75, and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were found outside the home, suffering from catastrophic injuries, officials said. Dennis Hamlin later died from his injuries at a hospital, officials said."

"Mary Lou Hamlin was taken to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem, where she was being treated Monday, officials said. The fire caused the structure to collapse. The cause is under investigation. Stanley is located about 20 miles northwest of Charlotte."

"The home is owned by a company called Won One Real Estate that lists Denny Hamlin as its manager, according to local property tax records and a business document filing with the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office. Representatives for Hamlin had not responded to requests for comment as of Monday evening. Hamlin is one of the marquee drivers in NASCAR's top circuit, having won 60 NASCAR Cup Series races, including the Daytona 500 three times. Hamlin, now 45 and a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, has yet to win a Cup points championship. He fell short of a title during this season's final race in Arizona last month. Weeks earlier, Hamlin said his father -- who nearly went broke trying to get his son into NASCAR -- was battling a serious illness and that he didn't have much time left to live. "I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don't want him going and never getting to see the moment," Hamlin told The Associated Press. Hamlin also mentioned his dad in emotional testimony this month at the start of a federal antitrust trial against NASCAR brought in"

A two-story home in Stanley, North Carolina, was heavily engulfed in flames Sunday night with fire visible through the attic. Dennis Hamlin, 75, and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were found outside the collapsed structure with catastrophic injuries; Dennis Hamlin later died at a hospital and Mary Lou Hamlin was taken to a burn center in Winston-Salem. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Property records list Won One Real Estate as the owner and name Denny Hamlin as manager. Denny Hamlin is a 45-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver with 60 Cup Series wins, including three Daytona 500s.

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