Hot off a successful, three-year stint in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series where she currently sits in 19th place, Hailie Deegan is making her much-anticipated leap into the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
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After signing a multi-year deal with AM Racing, starting in 2024, Deegan will trade in her brawny F-150 pick-up for a sleek Ford Mustang while switching from No. 13 to No. 15, according to NASCAR. The deal was announced at the NASCAR Hall of Fame where AM Racing brass, founder Tim Self and former driver-turned-operator Kevin Cywinski, reportedly stated their intent to be more of a presence in the Xfinity Series by fielding their second team car which Deegan will pilot. “I am excited about the opportunity to compete full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, starting next year with AM Racing,” Deegan revealed, per Jayski. “From the start, the team has been nothing but great to work with, and the vision that Wade has for the team to accomplish align with my values perfectly.”
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She added: “Through the support of Ford and the AM Racing team, I feel that we will achieve great things together in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and I can’t wait to see what the next few years have in store for all of us.”
In case you’re unfamiliar with the burgeoning superstar, here’s a little bit more on the newest full-time competitor to join the ranks of the NASCASR Xfinity Series.
Who is Hailie Deegan?
Hailie Deegan, driver of the #13 Ford Performance Ford, waits on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kansas Lottery 200 at Kansas Speedway on September 08, 2023 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo: Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Having been voted a two-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Most Popular Driver, Hailie Deegan is a Ford Performance Motorsports development driver who showed promise early. Deegan became a NASCAR Drive for Diversity member in 2016 and won the NASCAR Diversity Young Racer award the following year. With just two races remaining on the Truck Series schedule, she earned a career-best finish of sixth place at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Prior to that, Deegan put the peddle to the metal in the ARCA Menards Series West in 2018 and 2019, motoring her way to three wins each year after transitioning to asphalt racing in 2016 with Rev Racing. Though she only has two top-10 finishes in 21 races in the Truck Series, as Deegan ascends the professional driver ladder, one thing that will be to her advantage is her tactical strategy on the track. Known to incorporate aggressive maneuvers regularly in competition, an element others believe she learned from her father Brian Deegan, a former X Games motocross rider, she’s equally tenacious as she in fearless, embracing her hawkish reputation in whatever course she’s navigating.
How old is Hailie Deegan?
Born July 18, 2001, Hallie Deegan is only 22 years old, but she’s been driving professionally for more than half a decade which reflected in hermaturity.
Backed by a slew of sponsors that include Ford, Airbox and Viva Tequila Seltzer, Deegan has recently taken social media by storm. She currently boasts a mega following on TikTok of 3.2 million users in addition to 1.4 million followers on Instagram and 566,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel.
Where is Hailie Deegan from?
Hailie Deegan was born in Temecula, California, and she attended Rancho Christian High School. Though her roots are in the Golden State, Deegan splits time between her hometown as well as her North Carolina residence in Mooresville.
The official pace car leads the field to start after a weather delay in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 12, 2023 Photo: Getty Images
Still reeling from the news of her promotion, Deegan, who made her Xfinity Series debut last year at Las Vegas Speedway, driving the No. 7 Ford Mustang for SS GreenLight Racing, addressed how monumental the upward move is for her as both a career racer and a woman in a male-dominated sport. “I didn’t know if it was actually gonna happen because opportunities like these are kind of once-in-a-lifetime or once-in-a-career opportunities when it comes to NASCAR racing,” explained Deegan, according to Autoweek.
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NASCAR's Bubba Wallace “Boos” Himself After Letting Texas Playoff Race Slip Away"Racing is the only thing I know," noted Deegan, according to FOX Sports. "If it was easy, everybody would do it. It’s definitely not easy. There’s not many girls a part of it – being a girl has its pros and cons.” "I’m just trying to take advantage of every opportunity that I get and make the best of it and go from there, just constantly be growing and developing and working on my skill sets as a driver, never just settling and being OK with where you're at."
