Denny Hamlin is in quite a dilemma. On one hand, the veteran racer has the opportunity to compete at the fabled Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the first points-paying Cup Series race since 1958. On the other hand, his fiancée, Jordan Fish, is on the verge of giving birth to their third child. The couple has been anticipating their son’s arrival since last week, and the 44-year-old has made it through the last two races without getting that phone call, while having a replacement driver on standby.

But going outside the country, even if it’s just south of the border, complicates things. It’s no cakewalk to get back to North Carolina from Mexico City, and Hamlin has a difficult decision to make. Should he stay back in North Carolina or attempt to compete at the 2025 Viva Mexico 250?

Denny Hamlin is winging it ahead of the Mexico race

Denny Hamlin is having quite a season, isn’t he? 15 races in, and he has already secured the same number of triumphs as last year, as well as seven top-five finishes. Momentum is a big thing in NASCAR, and after outlasting William Byron at Michigan International Speedway, the No. 11 Toyota racer will have plenty of confidence ahead of the Mexico City race. The veteran is still on the hunt for that elusive Bill France Cup, and his results at the Mexican road-course have been good in the past. However, his son’s impending arrival is complicating matters.

Revealing his plans for the upcoming race, Denny Hamlin said on the Actions Detrimental podcast, “I don’t know. We got to figure that out because I certainly cannot leave — it’s one thing from when you’re in Michigan and you’re an hour-and-a-half flight away, there’s no customs, and I fly right into the airport. It’s just not that in Mexico. I can’t leave until we have the baby. Guess we’re on track on Friday. I don’t know. I’ve gotta play this one by ear.”

Hamlin was on ‘baby watch’ ahead of the race at Michigan, too, with three-time Xfinity Series race winner Ryan Truex ready on the sidelines, ready to hop into the No. 11 Toyota at a moment’s notice. Will he be on standby at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez as well, in case the Florida-native isn’t able to make it? Perhaps. But Hamlin is hoping it doesn’t come to it, going on to say, “Surely man, surely he’s going to come out. I don’t know. They say up to two weeks is normal.”

Baby Hamlin’s due date was initially set to June 1st, a date Hamlin was not so fond of, as he told Kyle Busch a few weeks back, “There’s no way we can have a [Ross] Chastain baby,” referencing his rival Ross Chastain driving the #1 Chevrolet. However, with the date 6/11 coming up soon, Hamlin seemed more content with that, as a #11 baby would certainly be iconic, and interestingly, ‘6XI’ was also the original name for his team, 23XI Racing, referring to Michael Jordan’s 6 championships instead of the jersey number. Hamlin added, “Truth be known, the original name for 23XI Racing was supposed to be 6XI.”

Coming back to Mexico City, unlike most of the grid, Denny Hamlin has competed on the road course thrice before, finishing first in 2006 and runner-up in 2007 in the Xfinity Series. Even though the 2,674-mile venue has changed since then, the racer is itching to get behind the wheel of his No. 11 Toyota in Mexico, as he said that he’s “looking forward to checking it out.” Ultimately, the decision regarding his participation might depend on his fiancée, with Hamlin saying he’ll miss the race “if I had to,” and “I’m gonna leave the call entirely up to her.”

While he contemplates his participation in Mexico, another dilemma seems to have found an interesting solution back home.

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Hamlin reveals ‘hack’ for son’s name

Denny Hamlin is excited about the arrival of his son. After all, he’s the only male in the house (aside from the family dog) as things stand, so the veteran is happy about the balance being restored to some extent. While the numbers are still not on his side, the veteran racer joked with FOX’s Bob Pockrass, saying, “I had to have it, man. There was just too many women in the house,” referring to his wife and two daughters, Taylor and Molly. But now, the couple needs to decide on a name and has come up with an innovative solution to an age-old problem.

Speaking to Dustin Long of NBC Sports, Hamlin said, “We have this app that is essentially swipe left, swipe right on names, and then you match names that you both like. … And so, right now we have like 13-15 names that we matched. I have one that I was hung up on right from the beginning. It’s interesting, she did give me an option, she said, ‘If you had to pick one or the other, you either get to schedule this or you get to have the name. Which one? You can’t have both.’ I said, ‘I’ll take the name.’”

Well, a scheduling mishap might cost him a shot at winning a race, but with NASCAR allowing drivers to miss a race for familial commitment, Hamlin will be safe from any playoff points penalties in case he has to forfeit his participation. Hamlin’s choice also makes sense, as it’s the first boy in the house, and he would love to name a potential heir to his racing throne, however, that’s not something Hamlin is too keen about. When asked by Bob Pockrass if he has “been looking for a firesuit for a onesie?” the 44-year-old laughed and replied, “I am trying to push my kids away from the racing as much as I can.” Looks like we won’t be seeing baby boy Hamlin on a mini go-kart anytime soon.

Do you think the veteran racer will get to compete at the 2025 Viva Mexico 250? Or will he have to sit this one out because baby Hamlin is on the way? Let us know in the comments!