Hailie Deegan tries hand at Formula car while NASCAR future remains unclear

NASCAR driver Hailie Deegan recently tested a Formula 3 car at Putnam Park Road Course in Indianapolis. Earlier this year, Xfinity team AM Racing parted ways with Deegan on account of a series of underwhelming performances.

Hailie Deegan, the daughter of motocross legend Brian Deegan, began her motorsports career in karting before transitioning to asphalt racing in 2016. Just two years later, she made a name for herself in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, securing three victories. During her rookie season in the Xfinity Series, the 22-year-old piloted the #15 Ford for AM Racing but struggled to deliver competitive results, which eventually led to her departure from the sport.

While her NASCAR future remains uncertain, Deegan has been exploring other forms of motorsports. Recently, she had the chance to test a Formula 3 car in Indianapolis, an experience she shared with her fans on her YouTube channel.

"We're in Indiana right now and we are testing an F3 car. I got the opportunity to be able to do this and everything kind of lined up[...]I've definitely got a lot of learning to do but I'm excited to try it out. This is something I've never tried before so it's going to be a really really cool opportunity." Deegan said. [00:20]

After a two-day test where she became accustomed to the open-wheel car and attempted to set some qualifying laps, Deegan feels she has gained valuable insights from this experience. She said,

"I had an absolute blast. Those cars are so crazy to drive, so wild, so fun, and I feel like I made so much progression from my first couple of laps in it, to where I ended[...]I feel like I learned a lot this week or these last two days and I feel like I just made a lot of headway, learned a lot as a driver, learned a lot of racing road courses or just being on a road course. Super super successful, very happy with it."

---

Hailie Deegan left out of Gene Haas' HFT lineup in the 2025 Xfinity Series

After SHR's departure from NASCAR, co-owner Gene Haas opted to stay involved in the sport by launching the Haas Factory Team (HFT).

HFT will field two teams in the Xfinity Series for the 2025 season. While Hailie Deegan was initially considered a potential driver, she ultimately did not make the final lineup.

Fox Sports NASCAR journalist Bob Pockrass confirmed this news in a recent X (formerly Twitter) post. He wrote,

"Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer to drive Xfinity full time for Haas Factory Team next year — 00-Creed, 41-Mayer (won’t use the 98)."

Sheldon Creed currently pilots the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series. Meanwhile, Sam Mayer drives for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports, piloting their #1 Chevrolet.