Denny Hamlin will not participate in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City—the sport’s first international event of the modern era—choosing instead to remain in North Carolina to be with his family following the birth of his son.
In his place, Ryan Truex will take over driving duties for Sunday’s race. Truex, currently serving as the reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), last competed in the Cup Series in 2014 and brings 26 starts of experience at NASCAR’s highest level.
On social media, Hamlin shared the news and his decision: “See you guys in Pocono. We are happy to announce the birth of our son. Everyone is doing well. My main priority is to be here at home for Jordan and our family over the next few days when she is able to go home and we transition to life as a family of five.”
Hamlin and his fiancée, Jordan Fish, now have three children—two daughters and their newborn son, who arrived Wednesday. Fish had gone nearly two weeks past her expected due date, putting Hamlin emotionally on standby for the last dozen days.
At last weekend’s race in Michigan, he had been prepared to exit the car mid-race if labor began, but with no call by the end of Stage 1, he stayed in and earned his third win of the 2025 season. That victory marked the 57th Cup Series win of his career, making him the winningest driver in the history of Joe Gibbs Racing.
So far this year, Hamlin sits third in the overall Cup Series standings after 15 races.
To remain eligible for the postseason championship chase, Hamlin will need a waiver from NASCAR. The sanctioning body earlier revised its policy on waivers, making approval less automatic, but clarified that missing an event due to the birth of a child remains valid grounds for exemption.
Hamlin’s streak of 406 consecutive starts will come to an end. The last race he missed was in 2014 at Auto Club Speedway because of an eye issue. Now 44 years old, he steps aside this weekend for a personal milestone that transcends the track.
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