[autotag]Hailie Deegan[/autotag] has been a full-time driver with Ford in the NASCAR Truck Series since 2021 but that will end when the 2024 season begins. Deegan will join AM Racing as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next year. The road for the former ThorSport Racing driver has been very bumpy but there is still optimism about her future.
In fact, Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook was asked about Deegan’s development through the ranks of NASCAR and gave an honest answer. There is time for Deegan to improve as a driver, which is why she will receive a chance in the Xfinity Series.
“It’s been an interesting road, honestly,” Rusbrook said. “We’ve seen certainly some glimmers, some opportunity, but not the sustained performance, candidly, that we’d like to see. But given that opportunity with different teams and more recently with [ThorSport Racing] this year. The race that [Hailie Deegan] did in an Xfinity car last year in Las Vegas did really well.”
“Hailie Deegan is one helluva dirt driver.”
After getting caught up in a wreck in Heat 1, @HailieDeegan hopped in a backup car and drove to a podium finish at @EldoraSpeedway . pic.twitter.com/8Jgr4UtdWV
— Superstar Racing Experience (@SRXracing) August 13, 2023
“I think this is now an opportunity with her advancing to Xfinity and to a new team to have a different car, have different people around her, and driver styles suit different types of cars and different racing.”
Deegan hasn’t been impressive in the Xfinity Series but this is an opportunity to grow as a driver moving forward. The Truck Series may not have fit her style of racing and other drivers have faced the same issue in the past. It is time for Deegan to show the NASCAR world what she can do as a driver. The next few years will be very important for her career.
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