The long lingering question of what is next for Hailie Deegan in NASCAR has finally been answered.
During a live announcement and unveiling at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, AM Racing and Ford announced the official signing of the 22-year-old Californian. Deegan is the only full-time female competitor at NASCAR's national level.
In case you missed it: @hailiedeegan?s 2024 move to @NASCAR_Xfinity with @AMRacingNASCAR.
An exciting shift in gears ? pic.twitter.com/IfQobfcWqC— Ford Performance (@FordPerformance) October 5, 2023
After spending the past three seasons in the Craftsman Truck Series, along with several other racing opportunities since signing with Ford Performance Development in 2020, she's ready for the next rung on the NASCAR ladder.
Deegan has had some trying years in the trucks but is definitely ready for the next step in her career. Along with the strong backing from AM Racing and Ford, Deegan will feature a pair of new sponsors to NASCAR with Airbox and Viva Tequila Seltzer aboard her No. 15 car.
Deegan was fired up during the announcement and is ready to get to work with her new team, she told the AP.
"From the start, the team has been nothing but great to work with, and the vision that (team president) Wade (Moore) has for the team to accomplish align with my values perfectly," Deegan said. "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."
Though her truck stats in three seasons aren't the best she was able to finish inside the top 10 five times. Despite that, Deegan's social media following is astronomical as she has one of the largest followings in all of NASCAR.
In her lone previous Xfinity Series start, Deegan did show promise with great car control and drove an SS Green Light Racing Ford to a 13th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last fall.
This may be just the beginning of Deegan's Xfinity Series journey, but hopefully, with several seasons worth of work, it will get her on the right path. We don't need another Danica Patrick situation where she is rushed.
