Denny Hamlin, a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, may miss the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race—the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway—due to the expected birth of his third child with longtime partner Jordan Fish. The baby, their first son, is due on Sunday, the same day as the race. Hamlin has stated that if the timing overlaps, he will prioritize the birth over competing in the 300-lap event.
If Hamlin is unavailable, Ryan Truex has been named as his backup to drive the No. 11 Toyota at the 1.333-mile track in Lebanon, Tennessee. However, this raises questions about Hamlin’s eligibility for the playoffs should he miss the race.
Earlier this year, NASCAR revised its playoff waiver rules, tightening the conditions under which a waiver can be granted. While medical waivers are still allowed, any non-medical waiver would now strip a driver of all playoff points—both those already earned and any gained for the rest of the regular season. The driver would still be in the playoffs but start with zero playoff points, regardless of their prior performance.
Hamlin has already secured a spot in the playoffs with wins at Martinsville and Darlington, plus two stage victories, giving him 12 playoff points. He currently ranks sixth in the overall standings, which could add five more playoff points if he holds that position through the regular season.
Fortunately for Hamlin, NASCAR considers the birth of a child a medical reason for missing a race. According to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, this means Hamlin would be eligible for a full waiver without losing any playoff points. The only consequence would be earning no points for the race he misses.
That said, it’s still uncertain whether Hamlin will miss the race at all, as no final decision has been made.
