Denny Hamlin reveals he will only drive this weekend in NASCAR on one condition

Denny Hamlin has put his racing plans on hold as he awaits a life-changing event in his personal life. In a recent interview, the NASCAR star made it clear that he won’t compete in this weekend’s race in Mexico City unless his third child is born before he needs to leave.

The update came from SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s show On Track, which posted a clip of the interview on X. Hamlin joined the show to speak about his status for the upcoming Viva México 250. The SiriusXM NASCAR account captioned the video:

“👶🏼 @dennyhamlin joined #SXMOnTrack and gave an update on his racing plans for Mexico City if his third child hasn't arrived yet.”

In the clip, Denny Hamlin explained that he would skip the trip to Mexico if his fiancée, Jordan Fish, hadn’t delivered their baby by then. He said:

“If she hasn't had it by the time that I need to leave for Mexico, then I'm not going to go.”

“Just letting her call the shots… when her body and her mind says that it's time, then that's what we’ll do,” Hamlin added.

The veteran driver also said he wants to be fully present for the birth and everything that comes after, saying:

“Ultimately, I need to be there during, post, and all those things.”

While the Viva México 250 is a high-profile event, marking NASCAR’s return to international racing since 1998, Denny Hamlin stays close to home as he and Fish prepare to welcome their first son. The couple already shares two daughters, 12-year-old Taylor and seven-year-old Molly.

Jordan Fish is past her due date, and the couple has kept fans in the loop through social media updates. Hamlin, 44, is currently third in the Cup Series standings and has already secured three wins this season. Despite the momentum, he’s made it clear that family matters more.

Joe Gibbs Racing has already lined up a backup plan. Ryan Truex, brother of Cup champion Martin Truex Jr., will be on standby to drive the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE if Hamlin doesn’t make the trip. Truex has been shadowing the team in recent races and is ready to step in if needed.

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Denny Hamlin shares his thoughts on NASCAR's Mexico return

Denny Hamlin also addressed the upcoming international race during a recent episode of his podcast Actions Detrimental. While he may not be certain he’ll attend due to family commitments, he still gave his thoughts on the Mexico City venue and what drivers can expect.

Hamlin, who previously won an Xfinity Series race in Mexico in 2006, recalled his past experience but noted that the layout has since changed. He said the current version of the track includes “a few more corners." Additionally, running it in the simulator made it clear that it was “a very good track” with solid passing zones.

Hamlin praised the energy of the event from his earlier visit, adding that the atmosphere was “awesome” and he’s eager to return if circumstances allow.

However, he also mentioned a personal reason for wanting to stay close to his hotel this time. Hamlin admitted that his earlier visit to Mexico City included “a bad experience,” without specifying what happened. That experience, along with his current family responsibilities, adds complexity to this weekend’s logistics.

Denny Hamlin acknowledged that, unlike recent domestic races where he could have left quickly if needed, Mexico’s international status makes last-minute travel harder. He said:

“I can’t leave certainly until we have a baby… I don’t know, we got to play this one by ear.”

If Denny Hamlin skips Sunday’s (June 15) race, he must request a medical waiver to keep his Cup Series Playoff eligibility. The waiver would allow him to retain all 18 playoff points earned from three race wins and three stage wins this season.