Denny Hamlin NASCAR replacement on standby at Nashville as JGR star could miss race

Denny Hamlin could miss this weekend's NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville, with the team picking out a potential replacement.

The Joe Gibbs Racing star would be missing the race for a good reason though, with he and fiancee Jordan Fish expecting their third child (and first son) at any moment.

NBC Sports' Dustin Long has reported that Ryan Truex is at the track as backup in case Fish gives birth this weekend, with the #11 team also set for a change in schedule in the coming week.

Truex, the brother of 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr., hasn't raced in the Cup Series since 2014, when he entered 26 races for BK Racing (three of which he failed to qualify for), with a best finish of 20th. He also attempted to qualify for the Daytona 500 five years later, but failed to make the field.

READ MORE: NASCAR Qualifying Results: Denny Hamlin beaten to pole as Kyle Larson suffers Nashville nightmare

Hamlin set for playoff exemption

Hamlin and his team were scheduled to run next week's tire test in Iowa, but Chase Briscoe and his crew will represent Joe Gibbs Racing instead.

Drivers must compete in all races in a Cup Series season to be eligible for the playoffs, but there are certain exemptions from that rule – and yes, the birth of a child is one of those.

Hamlin's back-to-back wins at Martinsville and Darlington have qualified him for the postseason, meaning that while a win at Nashville would be a nice bonus and help him in the points standings, he's not in as much need of a victory as a number on his rivals.

Last year's Nashville race was an incredibly dramatic affair which set a Cup Series record for number of overtime attempts, with five separate attempts.

READ MORE: NASCAR Qualifying Today: Nashville start times, schedule and how to watch live on TV

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