One of the top finishes of Hailie Deegan’s NASCAR Truck Series career transpired just over a year ago at Texas Motor Speedway.
After starting 25th in the No. 13 ThorSport Racing entry, she crossed the finish line sixth in the 172-lap race. It tied her career-best, sixth-place effort at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in 2022.
Now an Xfinity Series rookie, Deegan is hoping to record a similarly strong performance at the Fort Worth facility on Saturday when she makes her first start at the 1.5-mile track in NASCAR’s second-tier series.
“The last time I raced there, I had a strong top-10 finish and I’d like nothing more than to take the little momentum we have and leave Texas Motor Speedway with another top-15 finish or better,” Deegan said.
It’s been slow goings for the AM Racing driver over the last seven races as she’s attempted to find her groove in the Xfinity Series. Thus far, Deegan has logged two finishes inside the top 20, with her best result being 15th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in early March.
Hopes were high for Deegan when she concluded her three-year stint in the Truck Series last year and announced she was moving up the ladder with AM Racing in 2024.
After all, her 13th-place Xfinity Series debut at Las Vegas in late 2022 carried promise.
Up until last weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, it’s been difficult to measure exactly where Deegan is at in the learning process. But her respectable efforts at the short track may be a sign of the tides shifting, ever so slightly.
During last Saturday’s DUDE WIPES 250, Deegan climbed to an 18th-place finish despite spinning early in the race and sustaining front-end damage to her No. 15 Ford Mustang. The California native called it “much-needed good luck,” making her more confident about her upcoming race in Texas.
“We are working hard to climb out of the hole we’ve been in since Daytona,” Deegan admitted. “I’m optimistic about heading to Texas Motor Speedway with my AM Racing team.”