Hailie Deegan’s year started out well but quickly devolved into a disaster. The lone full-time female NASCAR driver transitioned from Truck to Xfinity before making her impact first. Deegan’s employers had great expectations for her voyage. When she failed to deliver, AM Racing abruptly announced that they were parting ways with the former ARCA winner.
The NASCAR community reacted in a variety of ways to Deegan’s unfortunate situation. Most individuals believed that her crossover from Truck to Xfinity was too quick. Others lost trust in her ability as a racing car driver. However, one Xfinity veteran remains faith in Deegan’s abilities.
Hailie Deegan receives brownie points for her future.
Being the sole woman in a male-dominated sport surely gets you some attention. Especially if you are struggling to stay up with your classmates’ performance. Hailie Deegan quit the Craftsman Truck Series after three years without making any significant improvement. She only finished in the top five and ten. Even so, AM Racing, a new team, opted to invest in her for Xfinity, most likely because to her 13th-place performance in a 2022 Las Vegas event.This year, however, she barely made it to the front row, finishing 28th in points with no top-five or top-ten finishes. Joey Logano lost her job at AM Racing after finishing eighth with her No. 15 Ford. However, rumours of Deegan returning to an Xfinity ride for 2025 are surfacing. People have been harassing her, and Kenny Wallace, the retired Xfinity star, is upset. On his YouTube channel, he chastised Deegan’s critics, saying, “What is the matter with all of you? Are you jealous of her? Are you furious because they keep giving her rides?”
Stewart-Haas Racing will dissolve at the end of the season, and the Haas Factory Team will take its place. Under Gene Haas and Joe Custer, the team intends to bring on a new Xfinity member, who may be Hailie Deegan. Wallace encouraged this endeavour, trusting in Deegan’s chances. “I believe Hailie Deegan will come in second; they want to run two Xfinity cars. I believe she will be given an opportunity because, like with everyone else, we want to see what they can achieve in a decent car. Kenny Wallace also provided a novel explanation for Deegan’s decline in performance. While Dale Jr criticised the system, he blamed the team: “As for her not running well in Truck, maybe she was two automobiles that were not up to standard.”
Wallace then posted excerpts from a heartfelt chat between himself and Hailie Deegan, who commended the veteran’s supporting demeanour. “Hailie Deegan and I texted back and forth. She added, “Thank you for always standing up for me.” I told Hailie, ‘Here’s why. her mother ran Powder Puffs, and her niece raced.’ And I emailed her photos. She responded, “Well, I’ll be damned. Now I understand why you stood up for us gals. I said, ‘That’s right.The iron ladies in Wallace’s family inspired him to be a strong rock for women like Hailie Deegan. Another driving element was Deegan’s great racing background.
Hailie Deegan was a racing sensation before to her NASCAR debut. She participated in the ARCA Menards Series, winning three races in 2018-19. Kevin Harvick attributed her dramatic drop in performance on a transfer from Toyota Racing Development to Ford in 2020. Deegan did, however, win the ARCA Rookie of the Year award in 2020, with four top-five and seventeen top-ten performances. Deegan also had a successful off-road racing career, winning titles in the Lucas Oil Off Road Pro series in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
No surprise Joe Custer is eager to give her another opportunity. The manager of the Haas Factory Team revealed his ambition for the next team: “We’ve got to put cars in the winner’s circle, and we’ve got to sort out our equipment because our business model is dependent on having technical partners to keep the program going.” Custer feels Deegan’s past is partially consistent with the team vision, but with some reservations. “We feel there is more in her, and we want to be a part of it, but that is for future discussions.”
Hailie Deegan is currently receiving compassion from several people, including Kenny Wallace. However, only time will tell what direction her career will take.
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