NASCAR faced a significant reshuffle as Hailie Deegan and AM Racing announced their split ahead of the Chicago Street Race last weekend. Deegan was replaced by Joey Logano, a seasoned champion in the sport, and a number of unconfirmed drivers will be taking to the wheel after it was confirmed that she won't be returning. This development began a number of questions from fans as to what was next for the young female driver. Journalist Bob Pockrass has now given his opinion.
Hailie Deegan shared her disappointment on X (formerly Twitter), laying bare her dashed hopes for advancement in the NASCAR Xfinity Series—a milestone that she had fervently prepared for.
"Beginning this season, I had a lot of excitement and hope in taking my next step in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. It's something I've been working towards for years and always dreamt about. I worked hard to prepare for this much after the team pursued me to drive their car. Unfortunately, it has not turned out the way that I expected," Deegan expressed.
Now, respected motorsports journalist Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports weighed in on Deegan's potential career trajectory.
"It might take someone with that same affinity for risk — risk from a financial standpoint — to give Deegan a solid chance of being successful.
"Deegan needs to go to a place where she knows she can race for a couple of years. She needs to go somewhere with a strong structure in place to set reasonable goals for her to improve," Pockrass advised.
"She needs to go somewhere with teammates that can help her (although she did have that with her truck teams and it didn't exactly lead to any great improvement). She might even need a program where she runs select races in a variety of series from late models to Xfinity to help improve her weaknesses."
Looking back at Deegan's nascent yet notable career highlights, she holds significant accomplishments, including two top-10 finishes in the Truck Series and multiple victories in the ARCA Menards Series West.
"Deegan was celebrated five years ago as a potential superstar who could help transform the sport," he admitted.
As Deegan faces these new challenges, the necessity for a supporting cast that truly believes in her potential becomes crucial.
"Finding a believer—from sponsor, to owner, to crew chief—will be key to whether she can make a career out of stock-car racing."
About the writer
Alex Harrington has been a journalist for 8 years, specialising in technology, automotive, and motorsport coverage for the likes of ... Read more
