Hailie Deegan spent last season competing in open-wheel racing, but she will return to stock cars in 2026. She will take on the ARCA Menards Series West.
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According to a Jan. 21 press release, Deegan will join Bill McAnally Racing for the full 2026 ARCA West schedule. She will drive the No. 16 Chevrolet SS for the team while trying to deliver its 12th ARCA West championship. Her list of sponsors will include NAPA Auto Parts, Monster Energy, and Columbia Bank.
Hailie Deegan returns to stock car racing after a year in Indy NXT. She will compete full-time in ARCA West for @BMR_NASCAR. pic.twitter.com/C3eKO9aPlc
— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) January 21, 2026
This marks the second time that Deegan has driven for Bill McAnally Racing. She competed full-time for the team in both 2018 and 2019.
She celebrated three wins, including one on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway dirt track. She finished a career-best third in the championship standings in 2019.
"I couldn't be more excited to reunite with Bill and the BMR team," Deegan said in a press release. "I've been away from stock cars for a bit but am focused on coming back stronger and competing for wins and a championship.
"Having Columbia Bank and Monster Energy on board and working with NAPA Auto Care again is going to be a thrill, and our goal is to get them to victory lane multiple times this year."
The California native parted ways with Bill McAnally Racing after the 2019 season. She moved up the ladder in 2020 and began competing in the ARCA Menards Series with David Gilliland Racing and Ford Racing.
She then spent three full seasons (2021-2023) in the Craftsman Truck Series — two with DGR and one with ThorSport Racing — before moving up to the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2024.
This tenure in NASCAR's secondary series only lasted 17 races before Deegan and AM Racing parted ways. A variety of drivers closed out the 2024 season with AM Racing while Deegan looked at other opportunities in racing. She ultimately spent one season in the Indy NXT Series, driving for HMD Motorsports.
Now, she will return to stock car racing to chase a title and compete on some tracks out West where she has previous experience. She will do so while taking over race-winning equipment.
"Having Hailie back on our team is incredibly special," McAnally said. "We enjoyed working together several years ago and won some races.
"I see the commitment she has for competing at this level and we want to be part of her success. She has the knowledge of winning out West and we have a great chance to chase our 12th title with her and Mason Massey in the fold."
