For the time being, Denny Hamlin is not participating in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs….
Denny Hamlin is currently not participating in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City, but he has not been removed from playoff contention—he’s simply on paternity leave due to the birth of his third child on June 11, 2025 .
Hamlin skipped Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, ending his streak of 406 consecutive starts, because he chose to stay home with his family .
He requested a playoff waiver in line with NASCAR’s rulebook, which allows exceptions for personal reasons like the birth of a child .
NASCAR granted the waiver, which keeps him eligible for the playoffs and allows him to retain his previous playoff points (18 points from three race wins); he qualifies on both wins and points .
Recap:
❌ Not racing this weekend (June 15, 2025)
✅ Has a waiver
✅ Remains playoff eligible
✅ Keeps all playoff points earned so far
So, although Hamlin isn’t racing right now, his playoff position is still secure—this is just a temporary absence due to a major life event! If you’d like, I can also pull up his current standing in the regular-season points or explain how the playoff waiver works in more detail.
