Following an abrupt departure from the Xfinity Series, the 23-year-old Hailee Deegan will race in the SpeedTour All-Star Race at Lime Rock Park this weekend. Deegan took to social media to express her emotions after putting in a good performance in the qualifying session.
Deegan was piloting the #15 Ford for AM Racing in the Xfinity Series, marking her rookie season. However, she failed to secure even a single top-ten finish, with her best position being P12 at Talladega. AM Racing reportedly decided to part ways with her due to her lackluster performances.
However, Deegan's season shifted gears recently as it was announced that she would be participating in the Trans AM All-Star Race, teaming up with Ben Maier for Nitro Motorsports. After a good qualifying session in which she secured a P5 start, Deegan posted a video on her Instagram, sharing the news and providing visuals of her driving Ford Mustang TA2. The post was captioned:
"Having an absolute blast in this @ford Mustang TA2 car! Qualified 5th for todays race. Time to get after it 💪 @monsterenergy"
Elated with her performance, Deegan also shared a few pictures on her Instagram story, where she expressed her joy of being back behind the wheel of a racecar. She wrote:
"I think my face says it all for how much fun today was in this TA2 car"
Besides her career in NASCAR, Deegan has made history as a three-time champion in the Lucas Oil Off Road Pro Series, the only female driver to achieve this feat. At 15, she also became the only youth driver to win the Lucas Oil Off Road Pro Series Driver of the Year award.
With her pedigree and a P5 start, Deegan is one of the favorites to win the $50,000 winner-takes-all prize for the winning team at the All-Star Race
NASCAR insider hints on Hailie Deegan's 2025 seat in the Xfinity Series with Gene Haas' HFT
Hailie Deegan and AM Racing parted ways earlier this month, on July 8. Since then, there has been a cloud of uncertainty surrounding her future in NASCAR. Moreover, as the current season approaches the playoffs, time is not on Deegan's side.
However, according to comments made by NASCAR insider Dave Green, Deegan has secured a spot for Gene Haas's HFT (Haas Factory Team) in the Xfinity Series for the following season. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Green wrote
"For the 2025 season, Hailie Deegan has secured a ride in one of the two Haas factory team Xfinity cars. With Cole Custer going back to the CUP Series, it made a seat available for her. This is a huge opportunity for her to grow in top-notch equipment."
According to the most recent developments, Cole Custer, an Xfinity driver for SHR, has secured a spot in the Cup Series for the 2025 season. Custer's departure from the Xfinity Series might pave the way for Deegan to return to NASCAR next year.