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DRIVING DEBUT Denny Hamlin’s hard-to-reach dreams of racing in NASCAR, which had accompanied him throughout his childhood and teen years, became a glorious reality in the fall of 2005 when he made his driving debut for Joe Gibbs Racing at the Kansas Speedway. Years of practicing, training, and toiling at tracks around the country—showcasing his sensational skills along the way—paid dividends when the green flag waved, and Hamlin accelerated into the first turn of the Banquet 400. While the race didn’t turn out as he had hoped, Hamlin started seventh and finished well back in the pack in 32nd place as Mark Martin claimed the checkered flag, but it was still a day worth celebrating as his career on racing’s grandest stage was just beginning at the age of 24. There would be a lot of memorable moments in the years to follow, including at the Kansas Speedway’s 1½-mile oval, where Hamlin improved on that debut by winning races there in 2012, 2019, and 2020.

Denny Hamlin made his NASCAR debut at the Kansas Speedway on Oct. 9, 2005, finishing in 32nd place.

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Greatest Moments