Alex Bowman Set to Race, Ryan Truex Replacing Denny Hamlin at Mexico City

Both Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing had driver announcements on Thursday ahead of this weekend's Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Alex Bowman is slated to compete in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event in Mexico City, while Ryan Truex will pilot the No. 11 for Joe Gibbs Racing while Denny Hamlin stays with his family following the birth of his son.

Bowman's status was in question following an incident during the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports said Bowman is set to compete in the event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday, with Anthony Alfredo available as a backup driver should Bowman be unable to compete.

"Alex Bowman is set to compete in Sunday’s inaugural Cup race in Mexico City after being evaluated this week for back pain following a hard crash at Michigan," said the Hendrick Motorsports statement. "As a precaution, Hendrick Motorsports will have Anthony Alfredo on site in a backup capacity. Alfredo is entered in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and has prepared extensively for the road course as the organization’s primary simulator driver."

Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin will not be making the trip to Mexico City. Instead, he has opted to stay with his family following the birth of his son.

“We are happy to announce the birth of our son,” Hamlin said. “Everyone is doing well. My main priority is to be here at home for Jordan and our family over the next few days when she is able to go home and we transition to life as a family of five. I appreciate everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, our partners, and our fans for the support over the last few weeks and I look forward to being back at the track next weekend in Pocono.”

In his stead, Ryan Truex will drive the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE in the Viva Mexico 250. This will be the 27th NASCAR Cup Series start of Truex's career. He is a three-time race winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Joe Gibbs Racing stated the team supports Hamlin's decision and will apply for a waiver to maintain his status for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Hamlin is currently third in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, with three wins on the year following a victory in last week's FireKeepers Casino 400.

Bowman is currently 13th in the championship standings, with seven top-10 finishes in the first 15 races of the 2025 season.

The Viva Mexico 250 is the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, and the first points-paying Cup Series event held internationally since 1958. The green flag waves on Sunday's race at 3 p.m. ET, with coverage on Prime Video, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

-Photo credit: Andrew Coppley, HHP for Chevy Racing