Hailie Deegan, one of racing‘s most exciting young talents, is charging full speed ahead into the 2023 season. After speculation over her plans this year, I can confirm that Deegan is still actively racing across multiple NASCAR series as she continues her impressive rise.
In this complete guide for fans, we‘ll analyze Deegan‘s approach for 2024, how she got to this point, and what the future may hold for this emerging superstar. There‘s no doubt the best is yet to come from the 21-year-old sensation.
Deegan‘s Background and Upbringing Destined Her for Racing Greatness
Hailing from Temecula, California, racing is simply in Deegan‘s blood. Her father is the legendary motorsports icon Brian Deegan, one of the founding fathers of freestyle motocross. He amassed 10 straight titles at the X Games and has continued finding success in off-road racing.
Like father, like daughter – Hailie grew up riding dirt bikes from age 7 and competing in motocross. Her natural talent was obvious, as she began winning regional and national events. By age 14 in 2014, she became the first female ever to win a race in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series according to this article.
Deegan continued racking up groundbreaking victories and championships in off-road competition over the next few years. All while also playing competitive soccer through high school. Her athletic prowess and competitive drive was easy to spot at a young age.
Switch to Stock Cars Led to NASCAR Stardom
In 2018, Deegan decided to make the switch to stock car racing – and NASCAR quickly took notice. She signed a development deal with Ford and impressively won her very first K&N Pro Series race that September at Meridian Speedway.
Deegan became the first female to win that series‘ Rookie of the Year award in 2018 while scoring 3 race wins. Her star-power was already building despite being just 17 years old.
Ford saw enough promise to continue investing in their young prodigy‘s development. And in 2021, Deegan reached the big-time by going full-time racing in the NASCAR Truck Series for David Gilliland Racing.
Over the past two seasons competing in the Trucks, she has shown steady improvement with growing pains expected for any rookie. Now with two years of experience under her belt, Deegan appears poised for a true breakout season in 2024.
Deegan Set for Trucks and Xfinity Racing This Season
Deegan‘s plans for 2024 involve a full slate of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racing along with select starts in the Xfinity Series. She‘ll be doing so with a new Truck Series team, moving over to the championship-winning ThorSport Racing organization. The team recently aligned with Ford, creating the perfect opportunity.
In 55 career Truck starts so far, Deegan has 1 top 5 and 7 top 10 finishes. She impressed with a runner-up showing at Daytona last year and has looked competitive at other superspeedway events.
With ThorSport‘s resources and her own growth, Deegan should contend for regular top 10‘s and her first Truck Series win this season. Qualifying for the 10-race playoffs also looks like a realistic possibility in 2024.
In addition to the full 23-race Truck schedule, Deegan will also be competing in a limited Xfinity Series slate for ThorSport. This will give the rising talent valuable seat time and experience at NASCAR‘s second-highest level. Just finishing on the lead lap would be an accomplishment in her first Xfinity races.
Analysts and Peers Praise Her Progress and Potential
Anyone who has watched Deegan‘s budding career closely can see her clear potential for future stardom. Leading racing analysts and former champions have offered glowing praise over her talent and maturity at just 21 years old.
According to Fox Sports analyst Michael Waltrip:
"She really has all the ingredients you need to be a superstar. She has the look, the moxie, the attitude. She‘s not afraid to lean in and draft off the big guys."
“I think the sky’s the limit for Hailie Deegan. She seems to exhibit a fearlessness you don’t see out of young drivers.”
Hall of Famer Richard Petty also added
“I think she’s got a great future ahead of her. She’s smart. She’s aggressive.”
With support like that, the only thing missing now is more seat time for Deegan to translate her ability into consistent results. That will come in 2024.
What Are Realistic Expectations This Season?
For 2023, many expect Deegan will seriously contend for race wins and possibly a Truck Series playoff berth. She came very close to winning at Daytona last season, so victories at superspeedways seem within reach.
Becoming a weekly top 10 finisher in the Trucks and improving her qualifying results are also reasonable goals. Simply avoiding bad luck and crashes that plagued her 2022 season could go a long way as well.
In her part-time Xfinity schedule, finishing all the races on the lead lap would be a great initial benchmark. Gaining experience at different tracks in Xfinity will only help accelerate her development for a full-time move up soon.
Deegan‘s Path to a Cup Series Ride Looks Increasingly Clear
Looking ahead, Deegan appears well on her way to a full-time NASCAR Cup Series ride within the next few years if she continues progressing. As the only current promising female driver with major team/sponsor backing, the marketability upside makes this a no-brainer for Ford and any team aligned with them.
Deegan herself has said she wants to be in the Cup Series by age 25 at the latest. She turns 22 this July, so reaching NASCAR‘s highest level by 2025 seems like a realistic target. By then, she will have many years ahead to chase race wins, championships and become the female face of the sport.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed in racing. But Deegan has shown she has the rare blend of natural ability and work ethic needed to excel. She has the raw speed, car control, race craft and temperament to compete with anyone. The future looks incredibly bright for this rising young talent.
Deegan Is Here to Stay and Ready to Make History
While some may have wondered if Deegan would scale back her racing, it is now clear she is here to stay and ready to achieve greatness. 2023 should serve as her real launching point to become a household name in NASCAR over the next decade.
The historic firsts she‘s already accomplished prove Deegan has the talent and drive for the big-time. I expect even bigger things are in store as she takes the next step with a proven Truck Series team in ThorSport Racing. It may only be a matter of time before Hailie Deegan is competing for NASCAR Cup series race wins and championships.
For all the latest details on Deegan‘s upcoming races, be sure to follow her on Twitter and Instagram. As her biggest fan, I‘ll be rooting for her success all season long. The future is bright for this rising NASCAR star!
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