PHOENIX – NASCAR star Denny Hamlin drove away from metro Phoenix a big winner back in the fall, even though he didn’t capture the race.

Instead, he tapped the Powerball for $50,000.

The three-time Daytona 500 winner said in his podcast Monday he won $50,000 after spending $300 on Powerball tickets in Scottsdale.

“Needless to say, I love Phoenix,” he said.

Hamlin said he hit five of six numbers, including the Powerball at a time when the jackpot topped $2 billion, the largest prize in lottery history.

He stopped for gas at a Circle K, where he called friends he was meeting soon. They suggested Hamlin buy lottery tickets while he was there. He’d never played the lottery before.

Hamlin said he stood in line at the ticket machine with about 30 other people. When his turn rolled around, he had no idea what to do.

Welp what do ya know.. hit 5 of 6 on my first Powerball purchase. Called my mom in excitement, asked where she was she said playing the penny slots at the casino 🤣🤣. Come home momma we going to Sizzler!!!

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 6, 2022

After several unsuccessful attempts, he went to the counter to buy the tickets from the clerk.

Later, after dinner with friends, Hamlin said he was brushing his teeth when he learned he’d won.

“The very first ticket that nice gentleman printed hit five of the six numbers.”

Hamlin went to to claim his prize and was recognized, though he tried to not to be.

“I’m walking in the Arizona Lottery office, and there’s a lot of older people there, and I’m sitting there, and I’m holding my hat really low because I don’t want to be seen because everyone there is kind of cashing a $20, $40 ticket here and there.”

He was spotted anyway. A stranger asked why Hamlin was there and the NASCAR driver reluctantly admitted his victory.

“I just got lucky,” Hamlin said.

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