When Hailie Deegan approved NASCAR’s now failed experiment of stock cars on dirt

After a three-year experimental run at the Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR will not be racing stock cars on dirt tracks. With mixed reactions from people within the sport, officials have decided to keep racing limited to track and street formats.

NASCAR re-introduced a dirt race in the 2021 season after over 70 years of moving away from the format. The race took place at Bristol Speedway, which was converted into a half-mile dirt track. While most drivers criticized the dirt race for adding uncertainty, Hailie Deegan expressed the need for more dirt races to make things exciting.

During an interview in 2019 with renowned motorsport journalist Jeff Gluck, the California-based driver supported the notion of having multiple dirt races in NASCAR.

"I think because there’s so many guys out there that don’t know how to drive dirt and probably never have, that it would mix it up pretty good and make for a good race," Deegan said.

Gluck further questioned the #15 AM Racing driver, as to which tracks would be ideal for dirt races in NASCAR.

"I think we should put them on the Vegas dirt track just to show them how much that dirt track is, how hard it is to drive," she responded.

However, after three seasons of hosting dirt races, Bristol Speedway will be transitioning to concrete in the 2024 season. The announcement was made by Jerry Caldwell, General Manager and President at Bristol Motor Speedway, last September.

"We are thrilled to announce Bristol Motor Speedway will host the return of the Food City 500 on the concrete high-banks of the World's Fastest Half Mile in the spring of 2024," Caldwell said during a media interaction (via Motorsport.com).

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A brief look at Hailie Deegan's 2024 Xfinity Series season with AM Racing so far

After a dismal Rookie season in 2023, Hailie Deegan aimed to make amends in the 2024 Xfinity Series. However, she had a relatively bad start, finishing outside the top 10 in the first five races.

Deegan ended at 37th, 27th, 15th, 33rd, and 23rd position at Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, and Circuit of The Americas, respectively. Her performance remained identical in the season so far, with the highest finish coming at Talladega Superspeedway (12th position).

With 16 races done to date, Deegan has accumulated a total of 165 points, placing her in 27th position in this season's driver standings. Despite having good racing experience in the ARCA Menards Series (2018 to 2020) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2021), Deegan has yet to make a mark in the Xfinity series, both in 2023 and 2024.

With playoffs happening in 10 races, the California-based will have to maximize and focus on the 2025 season.