Hailie Deegan: “Bad Relationship With Daytona” Stole Xfinity Series Debut With AM Racing

Hailie Deegan’s full-time debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series did not go to plan as she couldn’t even complete stage 1 of the United Rentals 300 on Monday. Deegan, who was signed by AM Racing in the off-season, was certainly hoping for a good start to the campaign but wrecked with 8 laps to go in the first stage. The 22-year-old misjudged a wreck that happened in front of her and got caught up in it. When asked about it, she said that it was due to her lack of understanding of the Daytona International Speedway.

The track may be one of the most iconic venues of motorsports anywhere in the world but it is also extremely difficult to master. Seasoned veterans struggle to get it right at Daytona and for Deegan, it was her first time on the track in an Xfinity Series car. It was a trial by fire for the driver of the #15 who will need more time to understand how to go about the races in high-pressure situations.

Hailie Deegan admits to not “figuring out” Daytona track after stage 1 wreck

The opening race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series was marred with crashes as it saw nine cautions. The first wreck of the night involved Daniel Suarez and Sam Mayer. Hailie Deegan and Kyle Weatherman were the two other drivers caught up in the accident. Suarez seemed to lose control of his car and that set off the whole chain of events.

The Trackhouse Racing star’s car bumped into the #1 of Mayer, which slammed hard into the wall, instantly ending his race. Suarez then somehow drove up the track, right into Deegan’s path who was coming in hot. The #15 AM Racing car suffered heavy front damage as a result and had to be retired from the event. As she got out of the infield care center, the 22-year-old reflected in how she has never had a good time at Daytona ever since her Truck Series days.

“Yeah, it’s the hardest part. I’ve had a bad relationship with Daytona ever since my first Truck race here. It’s been hard for me, I’ve never been able to conquer it or at least figure out what the right way is. Do you hang back, do you go, where is the kind of danger zone…I’ve never been able to figure those things out so…still working at it but I think the next one will obviously be a little bit better, a little more at play so…I don’t know,” the 22-year-old said.

But it’s not just the Daytona International Speedway that Deegan had to navigate on the day. She does not have a lot of experience in the Xfinity Series car, which is quite different from what she had driven in the Truck Series for three years.

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Big learning curve ahead of the 22-year-old race car driver

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Hailie Deegan has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series before but only in one race in 2022 at Daytona. She does not have the experience to be able to master the art of navigating that car around a track which has been a problem for her over the years. The 22-year-old said that it was going to be a learning curve this season, trying to understand the car and the drivers she is up against.

“This is a new car so a lot of things are new for me, so everything I have compared to a truck so it’s kind of…a fresh kind of ball game of learning of this whole system of racing and this whole series and everyone that I’m against and what’s going on so just trying to take in as much information as I can,” she added.

It will be interesting to see how the AM Racing star comes to terms with the action in the Xfinity Series and the #15 car. She has expressed confidence in her team and is looking forward to doing a better job next weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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