Hailie Deegan drops a 2-word verdict amid tough start to Indy NXT journey

Hailie Deegan has offered a two-word verdict following her tough start to life in IndyCar racing. The 23-year-old could only muster a 14th-place finish on her Indy NXT debut.

Following her stint in stock car and dirt track racing, the HMD Motorsports driver opted to venture into open-wheel racing. However, she found it challenging to acclimatize to the demands of the new racing series she recently entered.

On her debut at the season-opening St. Petersburg Grand Prix, Deegan qualified in 22nd place and finished 14th, largely due to several mishaps and cautions that affected other drivers during the race.

The rather underwhelming debut from the former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver has since raised skepticism and doubts about her racing prowess. However, amid these lingering doubts, the Indy NXT star took to social media to share a two-word verdict.

Taking to her Instagram account, Hailie Deegan wrote:

“Life’s good 🫶 @monsterenergy”

The 23-year-old acknowledged that the Indy NXT St. Petersburg race was the toughest of her racing career so far and that she would need to be well-prepared for the next race, slated for the Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park. Whether Hailie Deegan can silence her critics at the Barber event remains to be seen.

Hailie Deegan shares photos from the weekend with her brother

Hailie Deegan recently shared photos from the weekend with her brother, Haiden. The Indy NXT star spent the weekend watching him compete in the 2025 Indianapolis Supercross race.

The event, which took place at Lucas Oil Stadium, saw the former NASCAR driver cheering on her brother, who went on to clinch a podium finish. Haiden, 18, grabbed the holeshot in his Heat 1 qualifying before securing a third-place finish in the main event, behind Seth Hammaker and Tom Vialle.

Hailie, who was visibly excited about how things unfolded, took to Instagram to share a photo of herself and her brother with the caption:

“Super fun weekend in Indiana!! @monsterenergy”

Following the eventful weekend with her brother, the former IMSA driver will focus on achieving success at the 2025 Indy NXT series which heads to Alabama for the next round of racing.

Hailie Deegan and former F3 driver Sophia Florsch are the only women on the Indy NXT grid for 2025 and the pair both fly the flag of HMD Motorsports.