Ryan Truex relishing 'great opportunity' in Mexico City as sub for Denny Hamlin

It's been over a decade since 33-year-old Ryan Truex last competed in a NASCAR Cup Series race. That will change on Sunday, when Truex gets behind the wheel of the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. 

Truex, a three-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, has been on standby for Denny Hamlin over the last three race weekends in an anticipation of the birth of Hamlin's son. When the news broke on Thursday that Hamlin would not travel to Mexico City, everyone knew it was time for Truex to get a long-awaited opportunity to show what he can do in competitive equipment at the Cup Series level. 

"It's a great opportunity for me," Truex said in a news conference at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Friday afternoon. "I don't have a set goal or expectations. I just want to enjoy it and have fun and hope that the results come." 

"I'm trying to not put too much pressure on myself," Truex said when asked about how the weekend could affect the big picture of his career. "It's real easy to do that and make mistakes. I have a lot of confidence with this group, the No. 11 group and JGR as a whole. They've really taken me in and done a lot with me. (They) helped me develop my skills and get better as a driver. I want to return that investment into a good finish for them." 

Truex's brother, 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., drove for Joe Gibbs Racing from 2019 to 2024. When the NASCAR Busch Series raced in Mexico City for the first time in 2005, Truex Jr. took the checkered flag. So, did the elder Truex Jr. have any advice for his younger brother ahead of Sunday's race? 

"He said the Truexes are one-for-one in Mexico," Truex said. "No pressure. I'm glad he could throw that at me."