Haley Deegan has had more twists and turns in the 2024 NASCAR season than a 3.4-mile lap of the Circuit of the Americas. On Thursday, the driver competed again in the Formula Regional Americas (FR Americas) final and she was also a member of the Toney Development Driver Program.
The 23-year-old, who announced on Oct. 14 that she will compete in the 2025 Indy NXT Series, has been spending more time in the saddle and training in open-wheel vehicles whenever possible.
While working outside of Austin, the Truck Series’ most popular driver spoke with Athlon Sports about a variety of topics, including his candid thoughts on his four years in NASCAR. “The NASA world is tough.” Deegan said bluntly. “It’s a strong field, great drivers, great equipment. The truck series is very well put together. There are 20 trucks to win. Great team and great gear.
“That’s why it’s so hard to learn and grow in this field, especially without experience. We have a lot of experience with K&N. So the exam day was 4-6 hours long and there was a lot of sitting time. “And it’s like you have a hard time knowing the limits of a truck or an Xfinity car, like knowing the limits. Because you can’t actually find it. Because if you make a mistake during practice, you’ll lose the whole weekend. “So I never wanted to be in that position and I think that hurt me a lot.”With Deegan’s surprise departure from AM Racing in July, NASCAR’s three national touring series are without a full-time female driver. With these impressive statistics, the presenter was asked if he could ever imagine a woman reaching the pinnacle of the sport and one day winning the French Cup as champion.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen anytime soon,” he admitted. “I would say that’s not in the equation. Eventually, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon. It’s too hard now. “It’s also a money game. The driver you like pays the ticket. It’s true. Everyone hates to admit it and wants to tell everyone they don’t deserve it, but they don’t. 90% of the population pays. “But in cup competitions everything is different. A wider variety of authentic attractions will be distributed. But it takes a lot of effort to achieve it. Financially, it’s a lot. Getting donations is difficult. “Especially in today’s economy.”Deegan’s first race in the NXT Indy Series will take place on the streets of St. Petersburg on March 2, 2025.
