"My goal is to get through this one": Hailie Deegan opens up about her strategy for Indy NXT debut at St. Petersburg

Ex-NASCAR racer Hailie Deegan will make her Indy NXT debut at St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 2. Talking to Bob Pockrass about her expectations and strategy for the same, Deegan said there's a lot to look forward to from the race which will mark the commencement of her IndyCar journey on track.

Commenting on there being a "lot of unknown" going into her first Indy NXT race, Hailie Deegan said (0:30):

"I think my goal is to get through this one. Have a clean, easy day for this race and then really start going from there."

Deegan mentioned that she didn't test the St. Pete track, and as it is not on the racing simulation game iRacing, she couldn't get a realistic simulator. The former NASCAR racer also talked about her teammates and called them "super cool", adding that there is a bit of a language barrier, given some of the racers are not local.

The 23-year-old speedster switched from stock cars to open-wheel cars in 2025 and will drive for HMD Motorsports. Deegan began her NASCAR career with a Truck Series debut in 2020, earning five top-10 finishes in three seasons. She then switched to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024 with AM Racing and completed half a season with a best finish of 12th position.

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"I love being able to train with a purpose": Hailie Deegan comments on the fitness-related aspect of her switch to IndyCar

Since announcing her switch to IndyCar in October 2024, Hailie Deegan has shared her transition journey with fans via social media and interviews. In an interview with Xiomara Gerardo, she talked about her lifestyle and training changes since her move to open-wheel racing. Deegan said she has always loved working out but never needed to stay in shape for NASCAR.

Calling NASCAR "one of the unphysical forms of racing", Hailie Deegan commented on the IndyCar side of things and explained (0:46):

"When it comes to the IndyCar and Indy NXT side of things, it is so much more physical, which I love. I love being able to train with a purpose. Before, I was just training to be in shape and be healthy."

Deegan added that she has changed her workout and recovery regime and has begun training her upper body which wasn't the case earlier.

Deegan's transition to IndyCar after racing in the Xfinity Series for AM Racing stemmed from her partnership with the team ending midway due to multiple disappointing on-track results.

Moreover, she failed to bag a sponsorship deal that could keep her stock car racing career afloat, resulting in her switching to IndyCar with HMD Motorsports. While Deegan's strategy ahead of her first Indy NXT race is to take it easy, she stood last at the first practice session on Friday, February 28. The results of the Indy NXT practice laps shared by Bob Pockrass show that the HMD Motorsports racer's overall lap time was 01:09.9742 and lap 11 was her best.