“So for me, obviously I still watch the NASCAR races, but like everything that I thought mattered like didn’t almost. It almost feels irrelevant now,” Hailie Deegan clarified her stance at an IndyCar media conference ahead of the Sonsio IndyCar Grand Prix. At 23, she’s traded the familiar din of stock cars for the precise, unforgiving environment of single-seater racing. Deegan’s 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with AM Racing was difficult, with inconsistent finishes with an average finish of 26.8 and a mid-season split from the team.

At age 17, she stood out with three victories in the ARCA Menards Series West and a development deal with Ford. Her transition to the NASCAR Truck Series between 2021 and 2023, though, was difficult; her best result was a sixth place in three full seasons with top Ford squads. Leaving NASCAR was not easy. She signed with HMD Motorsports for a full-time Indy NXT season in 2025, jumping into a series that requires an entirely different set of skills. While the steep learning curve of a new car in her early days in Indy NXT has been tough, she is still keeping her head up.

Hailie Deegan is looking at the positives in her grind

“I think my goal is to get through this one. Have a clean, easy day for this race and then really start going from there,” Deegan shared. Of course, her apprehension was understandable given that when her first outing at an Indy NXT Series test last October happened, she posted a speed 3 mph slower than the second-last driver. And her debut at St. Pete was a crash course in single-seater racing. Yet, in her own words, Deegan revealed a growing confidence and tangible progress:

“So, obviously, the first race at St. Pete, I was way off in the first practice. So obviously it takes me time to learn and get used to stuff… and for here, for Barber, being the second race, I cut my time in half of what I was off of the lead time. So I think that was good, just being able to see improvement. Every time I hit the track, I’m improving. So that’s kind of my goal, is just like, okay, what’s next? Keep chipping away at it, chipping away at it. And there hasn’t been a time where I’ve been on track and gotten backtracked. I’ve constantly been getting better. So that’s kind of my goal…”

The tight, unforgiving street circuit tested her limited open-wheel experience. Deegan, in Group 2, set competitive laps but ultimately finished 11th in her group. During Practice 1, her fastest time came on lap 11, where she put up 1:09.9742. Additionally, her top speed was lower than the leader, Dennis Hauger, with a 6.7 mph deficit. To top that, she was slower than her fellow rookie teammate, Sophia Floersch, and 2.5 seconds down from her other teammate, Nikita Johnson.

And then came the race, which was chaotic, with an early incident involving Tommy Smith, Niels Koolen, and James Roe triggering a full-course caution. Starting from the 22nd place, she navigated the mayhem cleanly, avoiding incidents and gaining eight positions to finish 14th, her best result so far.

Moving on to her second race at Barber Motorsports Park, she faced new challenges, with rain and storms adding chaos to an already steep learning curve. The only hope left for her was to have a clean race on Sunday. But the #83 driver slid going into Turn One of the circuit, but to her relief, she skillfully recovered and rejoined the race. Though it did cost her some time and track position, she was still able to avoid major damage to her car and continued racing.

Deegan would’ve wanted a better result from the Children’s Grand Prix of Alabama event, but she could only manage to gain two positions after qualifying 19th and finishing her race in 17th place. The season for Deegan then continued in races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. In Race 1, she was 17th, then 18th in Race 2. In her 4 starts so far, she is in the 19th place in driver standings with 54 points.

But let’s be real. She has had quite a journey, and being a female in motorsport comes with immense pressure, and she’s borne the brunt of it. To help ride out this one, Deegan sought advice from Jamie Chadwick, another female driver who’s had similar wars in Indy NXT and beyond. With that, Deegan is riding out the mental and emotional burden of switching series to one in which she must begin anew.

But how have other female drivers fared in the competitive world of motorsports?

Trending

1

NASCAR Lawsuit: Michael Jordan and Co. in Danger of Being $30 Million in the Hole Amidst Major Turnover, Claims Pundit

2

Richard Childress’ Grandson Publicly Backs RCR Despite Kyle Busch’s Callout With a Surprising Revelation

3

FOX Broadcaster Gets Teary Eyed, Publicly Disclosing Emotional Moment as Call Mounts Against Jamie Little

4

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Takes Away Kyle Larson’s Dominant Kansas Win With a Brutal Reality Check

How has NASCAR treated other women in contention?

The thunder of NASCAR engines is electrifying, but for women drivers, the real race is against prejudice, doubt, and systemic hurdles. Toni Breidinger, who made 20 starts (11 top-10 finishes, by the way) in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024, feels this struggle deeply. In a sport where respect is hard-earned, women like Breidinger face skepticism from peers, fans, and even sponsors, making every lap a fight for legitimacy.

At just 20, Isabella Robusto is a rising star in NASCAR, but her journey in the male-dominated sport is a testament to grit and resilience. Racing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series for Venturini Racing in 2025, the South Carolinian has already proven her talent, earning three top-10 finishes in her first four national ARCA series starts last year. Growing up racing against boys, Robusto encountered skepticism early on. “Some boys will race you harder,” she said, recalling how competitors targeted her unfairly a decade ago when she started. “I had that, especially when I was growing up.” Those moments sure stung, but they shaped her.

Ever since the earliest days of NASCAR, women have had a long way to go. Sara Christian, among the first to race in the Cup Series back in 1949, competed in a world that hardly even recognized her existence. She crossed the line fifth at Pittsburgh’s Heidelberg Raceway, but her success was undermined by the bias of the time.

Further, women frequently encounter hesitation from sponsors who question their marketability or ability, giving them fewer opportunities to excel.

From financial struggles to stereotypes, these women face obstacles with strength, opening doors for a time when talent, not gender, determines a driver’s value. Their struggle is a tribute to heart and determination, lap after tough lap.