There has been a lot of speculation about Hailie Deegan’s future in NASCAR since her recent departure from AM Racing. The latest developments suggest she will join Gene Haas’ Haas Factory team. Just recently, NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace commented on the 23-year-old’s possible move to HFT.
Deegan is the daughter of motocross legend Brian Deegan and is one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR. This year she is in her first full-time Xfinity season driving the No. 15 Ford for AM Racing. However, in 17 race starts, the young driver could not achieve any better than a 12th place finish at Talladega.
Her performance did not meet expectations, which led to her parting ways with AM Racing. After SHR closed, co-owner Gene Haas confirmed that he would join NASCAR for the 2025 season with the Haas Factory Team. As HFT finalizes its driver lineup, speculation is growing that Hailie Deegan may secure a spot in the Xfinity Series. HFT COO Joe Custer has also expressed interest in the Temecula native.
Kenny Wallace recently shed light on Deegan’s possible move to HFT in a video on his YouTube channel. Wallace said, “It’s not official, but I believe that Hailie Deegan is coming soon. They (HFT) are going to put two Xfinity cars in and I believe she has a chance.” Wallace then elaborated on Deegan’s lack of success in the Truck Series. He said that Deegan likely didn’t get a high-performance car.
“It’s the same as everybody, let’s see what she can do in a good car, and as for her poor performance on the track, well, maybe she was in two cars that weren’t equal, maybe they’ll give her one,” he added. “Just keep buying cars and giving them to the girl,” he said. After her retirement from NASCAR, Deegan competed in the Speed Tour All-Star Race at Lime Rock Park last weekend.
After a strong qualifying performance, she finished fifth on the grid and sixth overall for Nitro Motorsports. There had been speculation that Deegan might choose to compete in the IndyCar Series, but recent developments suggest she is likely to maintain her place in NASCAR.
“There’s more in her” – HFT COO Joe Custer comments on Hailie Deegan’s future
Joe Custer, COO of HFT and father of Xfinity Series driver Cole Custer, recently commented on Hailie Deegan’s future with HFT. Custer said (via NBC Sports):
“We believe there’s more to it and we’d love to be a part of it. … But that’s a story to come.”
Custer went on to talk about HFT’s expectations for next season, saying the team is considering all options, whether the driver has NASCAR experience or not. “We’re going to look at all options when it comes to drivers. Maybe it’s someone who’s already in the sport. Maybe it’s someone who’s a Cup driver coming down the line. […] We have to get the car in the winner’s circle. We have to get the equipment in place because our business model relies on having a technology partner to keep the program healthy,” he explained. As it stands, Xfinity driver Cole Custer has secured a spot in the Cup Series for 2025 at HFT, creating a vacancy in the Xfinity Series, and Deegan would be the prime candidate to fill the hole.
