“I wasn’t made aware of it”

Denny Hamlin has opened up about Corey Heim’s 2027 NASCAR Cup Series rookie of the year status. In a media interaction ahead of Saturday’s Richmond race, the Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing co-owner admitted that he was unaware that Heim would be ineligible for the ROTY award under NASCAR’s updated rules.

Heim already has two wins as a Cup Series driver, driving the part-time #67 23XI Racing Toyota to victories in the inaugural San Diego race and Indianapolis. The 24-year-old is set to make his full-time Cup Series debut in 2027 with 23XI.

Earlier this week during the Hauler Talk podcast, the vice president of racing communications, Mike Forde, said that Heim has already made 15 Cup Series starts, exceeding the strict 12-start threshold required to declare for Rookie of the Year.

Speaking about Heim’s situation to the media, Denny Hamlin admitted he was not informed of how the part-time race allocations would affect Heim’s future award status.

“I wasn’t made aware of it, nor was I aware of what the plan was. I don’t think that we necessarily designated the certain amount of races based off of that.” Hamlin told NASCAR journalist Steven Taranto.

The current points leader also admitted that what he felt was an unusual aspect of the rule.

“It’s weird, because they did say ‘oh, that’s case by case,’ which usually you just have a number. But it sounds like they put out a number, but it’s a new number, maybe?” Hamlin added.

Trackhouse Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen made 14 starts in the Cup Series before his full-time season in 2025. The New Zealander won the Rookie of the Year award that year, but the rules have since changed.

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Denny Hamlin responds after Richmond Raceway dedicates special seat to his family

Ahead of this weekend, Richmond Raceway dedicated Commonwealth Section H, Row 11, Seats 10–11 to Denny Hamlin’s family, honoring the exact spot where his parents sat as fans for years. The seats were replaced with a custom commemorative bench and plaque reading “In Honor of the Hamlin Family… Forever Rooted”.

When asked about his thoughts about the gesture, Hamlin said:

“Yeah, it’s awesome. For many years, and I think my mom still has her season tickets, I believe. It’s a great gesture by Lori (Collier Waran, track president) and her old staff here. Certainly, very appreciated. It’ll be a great weekend.”

Denny Hamlin heads to his home track this weekend as a five-time winner and will look to claim his sixth victory.