PHOTO: Denny Hamlin wished for Daytona championship in childhood essay
Denny Hamlin has had his sights on Victory Lane at the Daytona 500 since at least elementary school. And his mother can prove it, too.
After Hamlin edged Martin Truex Jr. by 0.01 seconds on Sunday to give Toyota its first Daytona 500 victory in 23 years, the champion's mother, Mary Lou Hamlin, tweeted out a photo of an essay her son wrote in 1987 in which he expressed his dream to win "The Great American Race."
This was written by @dennyhamlin in elementary school! pic.twitter.com/TMuLboq1SZ
— Mary Lou Hamlin (@11mommalou) February 21, 2016
Hamlin, now the first driver since Davey Allison in 1992 to win the Daytona 500 after leading at the halfway point, later tweeted out the same photo with the caption, "It's real now." The essay reads:
The Daytona 500
My wish is to win the Daytona 500. If I won the Daytona 500, I would like it to come true on February 17, 1998. My car would be red, white, blue and gold. Just like Bill Elliott's car. If I do win the Daytona 500, I could win 1,000,000 dollars. My crew chief would be Gary Barden and my tire changer would be Ernie Elliott. The reason for all of this is because I love racing.
HEADLINES
- Elliott wins pole at Dover after rain washes out NASCAR qualifying
- Hamlin vows 23XI Racing will go on, answers will come in court battle
- Logano set to become youngest driver in NASCAR with 600 starts
- NASCAR says no Chicago Street Race next year, but could return in 2027
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Rex White dies at 95