NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina.

Denny Hamlin will continue to chase for a NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2025 after he was granted a Playoff Waiver by NASCAR on Friday. Hamlin will not compete in this weekend's Viva Mexico 250 following the birth of his third child on Wednesday.

The throaty roar of NASCAR Cup Series engines will reverberate through the Valley of Mexico this weekend, marking a bold international gambit for America's beloved motorsport as it races beyond its traditional borders.

NASCAR has adjusted the Friday and Saturday schedule in Mexico City after multiple industry members could not leave Charlotte, N.C., because of flight issues.The travel issues occurred on Thursday, when the majority of the industry headed for Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Denny Hamlin will not compete in Sunday's Cup Series race in Mexico City after the birth of his third child. Ryan Truex will substitute.

Ellis shared photos of firetrucks greeting the plane as they returned to the gate, and firemen standing by as passengers deboarded. Longtime NASCAR reporter Matt Weaver says that the pilot reported blowing an engine, possibly due to a bird strike, during takeoff:

Ryan Truex, JGR’s reserve driver, will step in to drive No. 11 car as Hamlin will miss his first race since 2014.

NASCAR granted Hamlin a waiver to keep his playoff eligibility on Friday after he announced Thursday that he would miss the race. Hamlin and fiancee Jordan Fish welcomed a son this week. The couple now has three children together.

Denny Hamlin announced Thursday that he will not compete in this weekend's NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City, as he will focus on tending to his fiancee Jordan after the birth of their son on June 11.