Rather than make lofty predictions like an overzealous rookie, Hailie Deegan is tempering the expectations for her first full season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“Taking it slow” and “being realistic” were a few of the phrases the 22-year-old threw around while describing how she’s approaching her first year with AM Racing — the team she signed a multi-year contract with last October.
As the North Carolina-based operation is still a fresh face in the Xfinity Series and will be expanding to two entries with Deegan’s addition in 2024, both driver and team will have a lot to prove when the green flag waves on Feb. 17 at Daytona Int’l Speeway.
AM Racing’s sole driver in 2023, Brett Moffitt, finished 15th in the standings.
“They’ve got a lot more open doors than they’ve had in the past with the technology side of things, with Ford support, simulator time, a lot of different things,” explained Deegan, who will be piloting the No. 15 Ford Mustang. “I think there’s just overall a lot of good traction to start the season.”
The season opener at Daytona will mark only her second start in the Xfinity Series.
Her first was on Oct. 15, 2022, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where she finished 13th on the lead lap while wheeling the No. 07 for SS-Green Light Racing.
“It was kind of random, but I just really wanted to be able to know what I was gonna be getting myself into if I ever did get an opportunity (to move to Xfinity),” Deegan said. “I really wanted to just have some sort of mindset going into it of how I could prepare.”
The California native has spent the last four years competing in the Truck Series with little to show for it. She has five career top 10s with a best finish of sixth in 69 races. Deegan is anxious to see if her days of struggle in NASCAR will be over.
“I’ve really struggled with the Truck,” Deegan said. “I was just struggling to figure out a few little things, and the people who have been there doing it for so long were able to figure it out. The Xfinity Series is going to be new and it’s still gonna have some challenges, but I think it might be a little bit more suited to what I think.”
With AM Racing backing her, Deegan is preparing for a 33-race battle. Though she’s keeping her expectations close to her chest until rubber hits the pavement, there is one goal she’s keen to share.
“I want to make the playoffs,” Deegan said.