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Hamlin will miss inaugural Cup Series race at Mexico City
NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin. Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin will miss inaugural Cup Series race at Mexico City

The first NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City will be without one the sport's biggest stars. 

On Thursday, Hamlin announced that his fiancée, Jordan Fish, has given birth to the couple's third child, and that he will not race this weekend. Ryan Truex — who was on standby for Hamlin at both Nashville and Michigan — will step in. 

Hamlin has won three races this season and is currently third in the Cup Series standings after his win in Sunday's race at Michigan. While he and Joe Gibbs Racing will need to apply for a waiver in order for Hamlin to still be playoff eligible, it will almost certainly be granted, as NASCAR notes medical exemptions, including the birth of a child, as an acceptable reason for a driver to miss a race. 

"We are happy to announce the birth of our son," Hamlin said in a social media post. "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 will transition to life as a family of five."

As far as Truex is concerned, the 33-year-old is a three-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. While he hasn't made a Cup Series start since 2014, he does serve as JGR's main reserve driver. 

Sunday's Viva Mexico 250 is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET, with coverage on Prime Video, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. 

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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