Hailie Deegan Publicly Calls Out FOX as She Shuts Down Fans Hate Train

With about 45 laps to go, Hailie Deegan’s thrilling throwback to Dale Earnhardt’s 1982 Darlington win ended with her third DNF of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Decked out in the iconic Wrangler Blue and Yellow paint scheme, AM Racing’s #15 Airbox Ford was visually unrecognizable almost, after a “ghost tire blowout” left many frustrated with Deegan’s failed attempt at an ‘Intimidating’ tribute.

But with Darlington’s Xfinity spectacle conclusion alongside an inaugural 2024 win for Justin Allgaier, Deegan’s ‘duly expected’ critics were loud to voice their frustrations. And in an uncharacteristic social media outburst, AM Racing’s #15 rookie lashed out at her “uninformed” haters, suggesting a specific source to blame for all the post-race confusions.

Hailie Deegan says, “Not my fault,”  and calls out FOX after her Darlington DNF

After Deegan blew her left rear tire in the final stage of the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington, fans were understandably in disdain, with many pointing their fingers solely at the #15 Ford driver for a seemingly ‘self-inflicted’ incident. Moreover, FOX’s confusing live broadcast replay and social media clip of the event’s fourth caution had many scratching their heads over the true cause of Deegan’s disappointments at Darlington.

As is the nature of the unknown in NASCAR, fans were quick and harsh to break down the assumed reason for the only contact-related yellow of the race until that point, with most spewing words of antagonism against Hailie Deegan. However, the first female driver to have won races in the ARCA West Series had an apt explanation for all her haters.

“Before everyone jumps to conclusions, I was on the top lane and the 07 (who was a lap down) doored me off turn 4 and it cut my LR tire. I kept it out of the wall when my tire shredded but without the door foam we weren’t allowed to keep going. Not my fault they don’t have a replay,” stated Deegan from her official Twitter handle.

 

The Temecula, California, native highlighted SS-Greenlight Racing’s Patrick Emerling and his #7 Ford Mustang as the primary culprits for her unlucky spinout at the “track too tough to tame.” But more importantly, the Xfinity driver, like the majority attending Darlington’s festivities from their couches, pointed out the below-average coverage presented to fans on behalf of FOX Sports, especially the widely controversial replays plaguing screens lately.

Many concurred with the initial sentiment, but one fan emphasized Deegan’s frustrations unknowingly and aptly in condolences, writing, “It’s not your fault, girl! Fox is really terrible at showing the replays today.”

Regardless, Deegan’s full-time Xfinity Series attempts will now move to Charlotte after a disappointing run in Darlington. However, this “undocumented” encounter lends steam to two major questions. Does Hailie Deegan warrant the hate she is receiving at the moment, and is FOX’s broadcast really falling that short?

The villain or the victim?

Maintaining its recent trend of sub-par telecasts on the other two NASCAR National Series, the Darlington race was the most recent showcase of FOX Sports’ declining viewership quality of the world’s premier stock car racing experience. Even

William Byron’s harmless ‘Darlington Stripe’ incident early in Stage 1 took place under another lengthy commercial, but the woes have barely been recent.

After the Xfinity Series’ outing at Dover, this season’s final Dash 4 Cash winner, Anthony Alfredo, wasn’t happy after FOX seemingly cut his post-race interview from their broadcast. Deegan’s outburst this race week only adds to the accumulating scrutiny facing FOX ahead of the second-tier series’ announced broadcast switch to The CW starting with the last eight races of the 2024 season.

But when it comes to Deegan’s disappointing display this Saturday, fans are more enraged by the iconic paint scheme gracing her #15 car in its first-ever outing with Deegan behind the wheel at Darlington. Ironically, Dale Sr won his debut Darlington victory in these very colors, and the 22-year-old rookie’s contrary exposure to the “Lady in Black” has drawn some controversial remarks toward her advances since Saturday.

Nevertheless, the all-important #15 was virtually unrecognizable after the unforeseeable incident, with its left rear quarter panel blowing up to leave an exposed chassis. Hence, does it all even matter in the grand scheme of things? How will Deegan bounce back from her most recent misfortunes in the 2024 Xfinity Series season? We find out in Charlotte next weekend.