Denny Hamlin Reveals Tough Mexico City Call as Fiancée’s Pregnancy Due Date Looms

Amidst the ongoing NASCAR Cup Series run, Denny Hamlin has been on baby watch with his fiancée Jordan Fish, who has had an overdue pregnancy for 2 weeks now. Waiting since June 1, Hamlin has made it clear that all decisions rest on Jordan. But it is fair, considering that the couple and their two daughters, Taylor and Molly, have been patiently waiting for the arrival of their new family member since December 2024.

Back in early May, Denny Hamlin and his family shared the joyous news that their third child was on the way, revealing through a sweet video of tiny blue Air Jordans that they were expecting a baby boy. A few days later, Jordan was thrown a surprise baby shower by her friends and family. She thanked everyone on her Instagram post, writing, “Thank you to my family and friends who threw me the most beautiful baby shower last week! I wish I could include everyone in all these photos who made it so special – because lil guy is so loved already 🥰🥰 can’t believe in a few short weeks we will be welcoming a baby boy!” The gender announcement was released just as the Cup Series was heading out west, marking the beginning of what would quickly become a looming deadline amid an already packed schedule.

But this week, as drivers prepare to head to Mexico City, Hamlin is even more resilient with his plans. With the labor due any day now, Hamlin says that if his fiancée does not deliver their baby before he is due to leave, he will be staying home. Speaking on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio’s On Track podcast, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said he won’t board the flight scheduled for Thursday unless his wife has already given birth to their third child, a baby boy. Danielle Trotta, broadcaster for Amazon Prime, wrote in a post on X, “Denny Hamlin just joined us On Track and said if Jordan doesn’t deliver their baby boy by the time he has to leave for Mexico City he’s not going. Said his priority is her and the delivery of their 3rd child. Drivers will leave Thursday so interesting to follow “baby watch” and what Dennys weekend may look like @SiriusXMNASCAR”

The suspense extended into this past weekend at Michigan International Speedway, where Hamlin kept expecting the baby on Saturday and Sunday mornings. NASCAR and JGR confirmed the situation, noting that if Hamlin received the call, Xfinity driver Ryan Truex would be on standby as contingency backup. “I said from the very beginning, if she hasn’t had it by the time I need to leave for Mexico, then I’m not going to go to Mexico. I think that’s the proper thing to do,” Hamlin said in the podcast. The tension was palpable as Hamlin went through the qualifying; his mind was a world away, closely tracking any labor sign, as both team and family prepared for whichever call came first. But it wasn’t fruitful.

Although the last two weeks have been extremely restless for the family, they have dealt with all of it together. But this weekend might just be different. This situation puts Hamlin’s status for the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in question. With drivers expected to fly out Thursday for track action starting Friday, time is tight. While JGR is ready with driver replacements, it might not materialize until the very last minute.

On the other hand, Hamlin has been having a tumultuous time as the co-owner of 23XI Racing, with the NASCAR charter lawsuit, trying his very best to hold on to his team. And, with Tyler Reddick’s baby already on board, the two teams have been juggling excitement with distress, all at the same time. Truly a troubling time for both the drivers and the teams.

Top Comment by Dorothy

If she’s beyond due date, why not induce labor. Just wondering.

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Debate

Will Denny Hamlin receive a waiver if he misses the Mexico race?

If Denny Hamlin must miss the Viva México 250 this Sunday, he might be eligible for a playoff waiver, keeping his position and 18 playoff points intact. NASCAR made this allowance before the season, explicitly including the birth of a child under “medical absences” that do not trigger penalties. Essentially, while he will miss the event, his strong performance with 3 wins and stage victories will remain firmly secure.

So, how do these waiver policies work? NASCAR allows drivers to miss races for specified reasons, including medical issues, childbirth, or family emergencies, without losing regular-season playoff points. However, any waiver granted under non-medical circumstances, like competing in another series, like Kyle Larson’s Double attempt, may result in a full reset of points to 2,000. Even if the driver has a win and secured a spot in the playoffs, all the bonus points collected throughout the regular season will be wiped out.

Other drivers, such as Kyle Busch, were also granted a NASCAR waiver when he missed races due to the birth of his child. In May 2022, as Busch and his wife Samantha were preparing for the arrival of their daughter via surrogacy, NASCAR allowed him to miss a Cup Series race without penalty. He joked, “I think it’s always a hard decision, but I think you can live down missing a race. You’ll never live down not being there for the birth of your kid.” Trevor Bayne was named by Joe Gibbs Racing as the official backup driver, ready to step in should the birth occur around race weekend. The waiver ensured that he retained his playoffs eligibility, firmly in line with NASCAR’s policy to support family events.

Now, it’s time for Denny Hamlin to experience all of it. As he balances championship hopes with family priorities, the NASCAR world watches with empathy and anticipation. NASCAR’s waiver system has also made space for such moments, recognizing that life does not pause for the season schedule. Whether he races or not this weekend, the support from his team and fellow drivers has been overwhelmingly positive.