CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. β A community vigil was held Thursday to honor the family of NASCAR driver and Chesterfield native Denny Hamlin following a tragic house fire that killed his father and seriously injured his mother.
Dennis Hamlin was killed and his wife Mary Lou was severely burned in a house fire in North Carolina last month. Mary Lou Hamlin continues her recovery in a Winston-Salem burn unit, with her condition being kept private. Denny Hamlin has posted that his mother is improving.
Local News
Father of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin killed in house fire, mother injured
Dozens of friends and family gathered at the Chesterfield Career and Technical Center to support the Hamlins, showing the family from miles away that they remain close to the hearts of those who have known them the longest.
The racing community around Southside Speedway, where Denny Hamlin began showing signs of his racing talent, is described as a small, tight-knit group that comes together for each other despite any differences on the track.
"You can be the worst, fiercest competitors on the race track, but we're all racing family. We want to make sure we're supporting our racing family and Denny is part of it. His family is part of it," said Lin O'Neill, owner of the Southside Speedway.
Southside Speedway Crew Chief John Bray emphasized the power of communal prayer during difficult times.
"Everybody wants to say 'I'm praying for you' but to sit there and hold hands and ask God to be with his family and be joined. He'll grant you peace. That's what He'll do," Bray said.
A funeral for Dennis Hamlin has not yet been scheduled.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
