

He became a hero on Feb. 21, winning the Daytona 500 in truly spectacular style. But there’s more to Denny Hamlin, 35, than just being a whiz on the racetrack. The NASCAR driver is a big Taylor Swift fan, earn one of the biggest pay checks on the circuit today and is a devoted father. Click down for 5 fun facts about motor-racing idol Denny!
1. He loves Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.”
If this video is anything to go by, Denny is clearly a very big Taylor fan. I mean, why else would he record a video singing along to one of her biggest hits and share it with us!
2. Denny learned how to race by driving go-karts aged 7
Denny was born in Tampa, Florida, which is a hotbed for motor-racing. However, he spent most of his childhood in Chesterfield, VA. That’s where he honed his craft by racing go-karts from the age of 7. In 2004, he had worked his way up to Late Models and signed a development contract with Joe Gibbs Racing.
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3. His previous best Daytona 500 finish was second.
Before tasting success at the Daytona 500 in 2016, Denny was an unfortunate runner-up in 2014. He started the race third and was in the lead for 16 laps, however in the last two laps he lost out to legendary two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and had to settle for second spot.
4. Denny is extremely well paid!
In 2013, Denny signed two huge deals — one with Joe Gibbs Racing and another with his primary sponsor FedEx. His new deal was reported to be worth $13.7 million, with $12.2 million of that in salary and $1.5 million in licensing and endorsements. During his career, with 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup wins and 11 Nationwide Series wins, Denny has earned around $30 million from the sport.
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5. He’s a family man.
NASCAR drivers are naturally family men, how many do you see bringing their babies trackside on a race day with their glamorous wives in tow before they start their engines? Denny has dated Jordan Fish since 2007. The pair have a daughter together called Taylor.
HollywoodLifers, were you happy to see Denny win the Daytona 500? Did you enjoy the race? Sound off to us below!