By David Newton, NASCAR.COM

Denny Hamlin must be feeling pretty good about his job security
these days.

He didn't just buy a new house.

He bought one next to the boss.

Hamlin closed this week on a new lakefront home in the Charlotte
area next to Joe Gibbs, head coach of the Washington Redskins and
the owner of Joe Gibbs Racing.
Maybe when he gets through with football this year we can have
dinner and do a little bonding," Hamlin said with a smile. "Maybe I
can keep my job when otherwise I wouldn't have one."

Hamlin doesn't have to worry about job security. The rookie driver
of the No. 11 Chevrolet is the only member of JGR in the Chase for
the Nextel Cup.

He's guaranteed to finish ahead of teammate Tony Stewart, the
defending Cup champion that failed to make the Chase.

"To me it was the perfect house that I wanted," Hamlin said. "I
wasn't going to let him being the boss scare me away from it,
especially with him being in Washington all the time."

Having an absentee boss and neighbor has its privileges. For one,
Gibbs is never around to use his boat.

"He's given me free reign to use it just about any time," Hamlin
said. "I figure by next year I'll have enough money to buy my own."

Hamlin was so into buying the house a few weeks ago that he kept a
reporter waiting 20 minutes for an interview while talking to his
agent. He considered waiting until after the season to complete the
sale, but figured the move would be a good distraction from the
pressures of the Chase.

Hamlin may need every extra penny he gets out of the Chase judging
from his opinion of himself as a negotiator.

"I like to think I'm pretty tough, but it hasn't worked out so great
for me," he said. "We met in the middle, but it definitely wasn't
what I was hoping for, that's for sure."

Hamlin hopes to move his parents from their Virginia home into his
home in Davidson, N.C., so they can run his fan club.

He plans to gut the new house and completely remodel it. When done
he plans to throw a few parties that are sure to keep the boss up if
he's at home.

"Luckily, we've got a lot of good privacy fences," Hamlin said. "I
told him maybe we need to put up a sound barrier so I don't disturb
him, because it's going to get loud."

Hamlin doesn't have immediate plans for a bowling alley in the
backyard, but don't rule it out. One of his favorite ways to get
away from racing, when he's not buying a house, is to bowl with his
teammates.

Until a few years ago he was in a league, averaging around 189 a
game. Four years ago he came close to a perfect 300 game.

"I bowled a perfect game up until the ninth frame once and finished
up with like a 278," Hamlin said. "Ever since then it's been
downhill. I think my age is catching up with me."

Not on the track. Hamlin is just coming into age, proving he belongs
with the best in the business with a couple of wins at Pocono and 14
top-10s.

That should keep him in good favor with his new neighbor for at
least a few years.

"It's pretty much my dream home," Hamlin said, "and I can't wait to
move in."

Is it just me or did he sound a bit cocky in this article. I mean, I love Denny, but he just sounded a little big-headed here. I guess he kind of has reason to, but cockiness is not attractive at all.

Sounds like dorakus finally has a big head. :wowno

I think you'll see Denny suffer a sophomore slump next year, much like Kasey did, and for all intents and purposes, Carl did, too. That'll knock him back to reality.

That was a good article!

I was surprised that Denny bought his own plane when this season started. That's a pretty bold move for a rookie -usually guys hitch rides or ride the team plane for a couple of years. I guess either he has a really good base salary or he is very confident. :)

And yes, IMO sometimes he does come across very cocky in his interviews, and he has all season long (he's actually been better lately). Then he'll be totally adorable and I will forget about the cockiness. :) But it does keep him from being one of my faves.

Denny definitely has a big head now. It's sort of annoying...but I like having a reason to dislike him.

I think he's overrated.

Denny started the year in my top 3. Now he is hanging in my lower 3. I don't like his attitude. Yeah, he's a great driver, but he's gotten cocky as hell, and I think he needs a reality check. So, as Helena said, I think we'll see a sophomore slump. And this might sound bad, but I kinda hope we do.

this was me to a T. I loved Denny, now not so much