Overview

• Hamlin booked a flight for Thursday to compete in Mexico City but says he will not depart until his third child is born and his fiancée’s labor has begun.
• Joe Gibbs Racing has designated Ryan Truex as the reserve driver for the No. 11 Toyota should Hamlin remain home for the delivery.
• Under NASCAR’s Playoff Waiver System, the birth of a child qualifies as an exemption that preserves Hamlin’s playoff eligibility and points.
• Missing the Viva Mexico 250 could affect Hamlin’s seeding in NASCAR’s inaugural in-season challenge, which bases a 32-driver bracket on results from this race and the next two.
• This season Hamlin has secured three wins and seven top-five finishes through 15 events and holds previous victories at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course.