NASCAR Driver Denny Hamlin Breaks Silence After Dad Dies in House Fire

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin is speaking out for the first time since his father, Dennis Hamlin, died in a house fire owned by Denny.

In a social media post Wednesday, Denny says ... "Thank you to everyone who has reached out with condolences on my father's passing."

Denny's mother, Mary Lou, was also home when the fire broke out, and she was hospitalized with critical injuries ... but it sounds like she's making progress in her recovery.

Denny says, "My mother continues to improve, and our family truly appreciates the outpouring of support and the respect for our privacy during this time."

The Gaston County Emergency Management and Fire Services in North Carolina said they, along with several other fire agencies, were dispatched at 6:19 PM on Sunday to a two-story home that was engulfed in flames.

Authorities said Dennis and Mary Lou were found outside the residence and "both suffered catastrophic injuries while escaping the flames."

Dennis ultimately died at the hospital, and Mary Lou was transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem.