Denny Hamlin will not compete in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday (June 15) following the birth of his son, he announced on Thursday (June 12).
Ryan Truex, who has served as Hamlin’s standby driver the past few races, will drive the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE, making his first Cup Series start since 2014.
Hamlin said earlier in the week during a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio appearance that if his fianceé, Jordan Fish, had not given birth to their son by Thursday, that he would forgo the journey to Mexico and instead opt to remain with Fish.
While Hamlin and Fish welcomed their son, Hamlin is still electing to miss the race in Mexico City.
”We are happy to announce the birth of our son,” Hamlin said in a statement on his X account. “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 posted the statement to X with the caption, “See you guys in Pocono.”
Joe Gibbs Racing has stated that it will apply for a playoff waiver in order for Hamlin to retain the playoff points he has earned up to this point in the 2025 season. Hamlin, a three-time winner this season and the most recent race winner at Michigan International Speedway, is currently third in the point standings with 18 playoff points.
Truex has made just one NASCAR national series start this season, in the season-opening Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished 17th.
Good on Denny, and good on NASCAR as well. Common sense prevails for once. For people who want children, the birth of a child is arguably the most important event in their life. To be there in the child’s first days and hours, for both the child and the significant other is both admirable, and should be expected.
I’ve seen a lot of comments about no waivers, no exceptions, etc., but I’d bet the same folks would be livid if they were written up at their work, missed a bonus, or had something similar happen if they had to miss work in the days following the birth of their own child.
The reality is NASCAR set the rules with this sort of situation in mind. This is exactly what a waiver should be for.
I’m no Hamlin fan, and up until the last couple of years, he was on my short list of drivers I didn’t want to see succeed. But in this case, his priorities are where they should be, and in turn NASCAR’s decision was a wise one, recognizing that some things are more important than auto racing.
Good for him for choosing to miss work to be with his family, but rules should be rules. No more waivers for anything. Not injuries, not trying to race in other series, not life events, nothing.