The first in what Hailie Deegan hopes is plenty more NASCAR Xfinity Series races to come. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
LAS VEGAS – Two years removed from debuting in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Kansas Speedway, Hailie Deegan got an opportunity to slowly make the next step on the racing ladder by competing in the Xfinity Series.
The 21-year-old racer that’s competed full-time in Trucks since last year set a goal of trying to finish in the top-15. After rolling off from the 23rd starting position, Deegan accomplished her goal by finishing 13th in Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“I’m pretty excited. The guys gave me an amazing car,” said Deegan. “I always wanted to come out here and just be able to experience what it’s like to run in the Xfinty Series. They were able to give me a car that was fast as Xfinity internet and were able to do something with it.”
Nearly two weeks ago, Deegan made her announcement that she’ll pilot the No. 07 Pristine Auction Ford Mustang via her YouTube channel. Right away, she made it clear that there isn’t anything set into stone regarding her racing status in 2023.
Once the weekend arrived, it was all about making most of the opportunity of driving the SS GreenLight Racing machine.
Slowly improving her track position, she kept the No. 07 Mustang clean for 201 laps and set some milestones. Prior to Deegan’s debut, the highest-finishing female debutant in Xfinity Series history was Shawna Robinson, who placed 15th at Rougemont in 1991.
No stranger to setting the mark in stock car racing, Robinson and Deegan share the same amount of NASCAR touring wins with three apiece as Deegan’s wins so far came from the West Series while Robinson’s triumphs came from the Goody’s Dash Series.
Deegan battling against Stefan Parsons (45) and newly crowned National ARCA champion Nick Sanchez (48). (Photo: Landen Ciardullo | The Podium Finish)
But the grandest takeaway from Deegan were the contrasts of the competition between Xfinity and Trucks. In her current tenure with David Gilliland Racing (DGR), the intense competition and racing could not be further apart from what she faced at Las Vegas.
Additionally, the ability to navigate around the 1.5-mile track was a night and day difference where she felt she could actually move around the track with more power.
Deegan observed this racing trait as she elaborated where the edge was demanding in the next national touring step.
“You’re kind of just plant there, hold her down and go (in Trucks). In an Xfinity car and actually having to work a lot more for it. Having to drive out of stuff a lot more, and just be on that edge and constantly driving off that edge. It changes a lot of things,” Deegan explained. “Being able to finesse with throttle and brake. Deciding what to do, dump out of it, crack the throttle.
“There’s just so many different things that you can do. Whereas the Trucks is just one lane, one way and you kind of hope for the best. Everybody race’s very clean in (Xfinity) it seems like. There’s a lot of respect and I really like that.”
Deegan became the second female driver to finish in the top-15 in her Xfinity Series debut. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
Now that Deegan has an Xfinity start under her belt, it’s just a matter of which sponsorship is willing to fund the Californian in 2023 so she can move up the next level.
For now, it’s just two more Truck Series races in the No. 1 DGR Ford F-150 to wrap up her sophomore campaign with Homestead-Miami Speedway next Saturday (1:00 p.m. ET on FS1) and the finale at Phoenix Raceway (Friday, Nov. 4 at 10:00 p.m. ET on FS1).
After 21 races, Deegan sits 21st in points. However, she recently scored her best career Truck finish at Talladega Superspeedway where she crossed the line in sixth earlier this month.
