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Hailie Deegan raced in the star-studded Freedom 500 alongside fellow former NASCAR drivers. She shared her experience in a 26-minute vlog uploaded on her YouTube channel, where she boasts about 600,000 subscribers.
For the unversed, the Freedom 500 is a 100-lap race at Freedom Factory, a 3/8-mile oval in Florida owned by Cleetus McFarland, YouTuber and part-time ARCA Menards Series rookie. Deegan, who moved from the NASCAR Xfinity Series to the Indy NXT, entered the race wheeling the #138 purple Ford Crown Victoria.
Hailie Deegan took to YouTube to share some behind-the-scenes moments from the race in the Sunshine State on Friday (April 4).
"I Raced The Freedom 500!!!!" she wrote as the title.
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One key moment in the vlog was Hailie Deegan sharing a conversation with Cleetus McFarland. She told the event host about working with her father, Brian Deegan, until the last lap, where she would take him out if necessary. She said [8:45]:
"So I think we are working with each other 'til the last lap. I have a full plan. I know, I need someone on my team to at least let's work together to get there and then once it gets to the end, I already have a plan if I need to take him out."
The 23-year-old competed in the Freedom 500 against NASCAR drivers Corey LaJoie, Michael Waltrip, and Greg Biffle. Fellow YouTubers Chris Fix and Whistlin Diesel also took the time to race against a star-studded entry list.
Travis Pastrana, a multi-time X Games gold medalist with a one-off NASCAR Cup Series entry with 23XI Racing, joined the slugfest and won. Pastrana brought home a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C8) as a prize for his race-winning efforts at Freedom Factory.
Hailie Deegan shares her thoughts on the Ford Crown Victoria at Freedom Factory
In a recent Instagram story, Hailie Deegan commended Ford for building the now-discontinued Crown Victoria. The Californian described the car as an "absolute unit" as she raced one in the Freedom 500 at Freedom Factory last Friday.
The Blue Oval brand's Crown Victoria is a full-size, rear-wheel-drive sedan deemed an icon in the American automotive industry. With a body-on-frame chassis commonly found in SUVs, the Crown Vic was known for being rugged and tough. The model was even used as a workhorse vehicle for taxi and police duties.
Speaking about her racecar in the Freedom 500, Deegan wrote in her Instagram story:
"@ford built an absolute tank of a car when it comes to these Crown Vic's 😂@monsterenergy."
Ford discontinued the Crown Victoria in 2011 amid the rise of lighter and more fuel-efficient unibody vehicles. The Michigan-based manufacturer did not have a direct replacement for the model.
During her NASCAR stint, Hailie Deegan drove a Ford, including the #15 Mustang Xfinity car for AM Racing last year. She was axed mid-season before signing with HMD Motorsports for the 2025 Indy NXT season.
Deegan finished 14th in her first series race in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg last month. She will return to the track on May 4 for the Grand Prix of Alabama (road course) at the Barber Motorsports Park.
