The past two NASCAR race weekends, Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin has been on baby watch, with longtime partner Jordan Fish expecting the couple's third child. And at both Nashville Superspeedway and Michigan International Speedway, Joe Gibbs Racing reserve driver Ryan Truex was Hamlin's backup.
But the baby, the couple's first baby boy, is now more than a week overdue, and Hamlin hasn't actually had to miss any races yet. In fact, he has performed exceptionally well on baby watch, placing third at Nashville after winning a stage and then winning the race at Michigan.
But Truex, the younger brother of former Cup Series champion and former Hamlin teammate Martin Truex Jr., may have his best chance to make his first Cup Series start since 2014 this weekend at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Truex return looming as Hamlin baby countdown intensifies
If the baby's arrival continues to be pushed back, Hamlin has confirmed that he is willing to completely skip the race weekend at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, given how far away the 15-turn, 2.429-mile (3.909-kilometer) road course in Mexico City, Mexico is from his North Carolina home.
The deadline is Thursday, and if the baby still hasn't arrived by then, then it appears that Truex is indeed set to drive the No. 11 Toyota this weekend, with Hamlin set to remain in the United States.
It has also been confirmed that Hamlin would receive a playoff waiver if he were forced to miss the Viva Mexico 250, since the birth of a child is considered a medical reason for an absence.
The missed start would not count against his playoff eligibility, and even after NASCAR changed the rules this past offseason, he would keep the 18 playoff points he has earned so far this season via his three race wins and three stage wins. He would also remain eligible to score more.
The only downside would be the fact that he would score no points this weekend, which would presumably hamper him in the overall point standings. He currently finds himself third, which would net him eight additional playoff points if he finishes the regular season there, but he would likely drop at least one spot if he were to miss his first Cup Series race since 2014.
Truex has been a part of Joe Gibbs Racing for several years now, and he competed part-time for the Xfinity Series program from 2022 to 2024. He collected three victories, one in 2023 and two more in 2024, but does not have any starts planned for the team in 2025. He did compete in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, but for Sam Hunt Racing.
Amazon Prime Video is set to provide live coverage of the Viva Mexico 250 from Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 15.