Hailie Deegan’s Xfinity Move Proves Costly for Ford as Fans Predict an Unanticipated Comeback From a Rival

Hailie Deegan appears to be turning corners more quickly than most of the drivers in the European circuits. Just a few weeks back, she was in a rut with a series of terrible results in the Craftsman Truck Series. When Deegan moved to race in the trucks full-time in 2021, the generic expectation was that she would excel in a matter of races and move up to the higher rings of the game. But events did not exactly transpire that way.

Despite spending the last three years driving trucks without many achievements to pride on, Deegan just dropped the announcement that she will be racing in the Xfinity Series next year.

Deegan finally finds reason for joy despite ill luck with ThorSport Racing

Hailie Deegan had joined Ohio-based ThorSport Racing at the onset of the 2023 racing year. After failing to shine at David Gilliland Racing, she was expected to finally show her potential behind one of the Ford F-150s of ThorSport. In the hopes of this, the racing outfit too had given her one of the best crews that they had at their disposal. But what had followed was a failure to perform. With just two more races to go in the season, The 22-year-old is yet to finish inside the top-5 in any race. In complete contrast to the colors that were filling her picture so far comes the announcement of her promotion.

Taking it to Instagram to let the world know of her progress, Deegan posted a picture of herself in front of AM Racing’s #15 Ford. Thanking her upcoming banner and the carmaker, Deegan captioned her post, “Well this one has been really tough to keep a secret, but WE’RE GOING XFINITY RACING!! I’m so happy to be able to sit here knowing that I get the opportunity to run full-time for @amracingnascar and @ford for the next couple years. This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it.”

Deegan’s move to Xfinity might sure be a surprise to many considering the showcase of skills that it usually takes to attract teams and sponsors. Just a few weeks ago, Deegan had expressed to former racer Kenny Wallace her worries over not having yet found a sponsor for 2024. It is obvious that this big move would have been a pleasant surprise for her as well.

Watch Story: NASCAR’s 2024 Schedule: A New Chapter Begins

Statesville-based AM Racing swoops in to alleviate the troubles of Hailie Deegan

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AM Racing is not a team well-versed in the nuances of Xfinity racing. Entering the series in 2022, they fielded Brett Moffitt in their #25 car and found moderate success. The driver brought in one top 5 finish and nine top 10s. As per the revelations that have come out now, the outfit’s newly formed #15 team will be headed by Deegan. Sponsoring the car will be AirBox and VIVA. In the conference that was held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, officials from the team announced the multi-year contract that had been signed.

Expressing her thoughts in the official term release, Deegan said, “I am excited about the opportunity to compete full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, starting next year with AM Racing. From the start, the team has been nothing but great to work with, and the vision that Wade [Moore, AM president] has for the team to accomplish aligns with my values perfectly.” The 2024 season opener at Daytona will not be Deegan’s first time behind an Xfinity car though. Debuting in Las Vegas in 2022, she finished the race at P13. Should she be able to find that knack again, she might as well thrive in the higher tier.

As Deegan continues her long-term association with Ford Performance Motorsports, the maker’s director Rushbrook reflected, “Hailie works so hard on and off the track, and AM Racing will surround her with a great team to continue her development. From what we saw from Hailie in her Xfinity Series debut in Las Vegas last year, we look forward to some great results in 2024.” Without a doubt, that will be the hope of the racing community as well. Let us know if you think 2024 will finally be the year that Deegan prospers in NASCAR.

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