Like many professional racers, Hailie Deegan’s journey in the fast lane began on go-karts. The former AM Racing driver’s first cart was purchased by her father, Brian Deegan, who made his name as a professional freestyle motocross rider and racing driver. Despite showing no inclination for racing in her younger days, Hailie began her journey in local competitions. As fate would have had it, her talent soon shone through, and she went on to win podiums at almost every level in her career.

Fast forward to the present day, and Hailie Deegan is rediscovering her love for go-karting once again. Currently, on a break from professional racing, Deegan recently went shopping for carts and expressed her wariness at her dad finding out about her ‘best purchase ever.’

Hailie Deegan aims to keep her go-kart purchase a secret

While she may have been introduced to go-karts at the age of eight, Hailie Deegan began her professional career in dirt racing. Expectations were high from the daughter of one of the most decorated athletes in X Games history, and she lived up to her name for the most part. After winning the LOORRS Junior 2 Karts in 2013 and LOORRS Modified Karts in 2016, Hailie transitioned to the CARS Super Late Model Tour, driving for Bond Suss Racing. She competed in two races for them before venturing into the world of NASCAR, where she has spent the last seven years.

After parting ways with AM Racing earlier this year, speculation has been rife about Hailie Deegan’s next career move. However, the 23-year-old seems to be enjoying her break with fiancee Chase Cabre, and the pair were seen shopping for go-karts in her recent YouTube video titled ‘Best Purchase We Have Made!’ While shopping, Deegan was heard saying, “These carts are pretty nice. Like they’ve taken really, really good care of them. Got a bunch of stuff, we got the dashes on them, and so this actually overlays the Bluetooth right to your phone.”

Observing how advanced modern go-karts are, in comparison to the only go-kart she has ever owned since 2015, Deegan went on to say, “You can look at all the data of it, you can check your lap times, the line you’re running, so that’s super, super helpful. I don’t know though, but they are pretty, pretty nice pieces, so I’m pretty excited. I gotta be careful though, I can’t show my dad or else he’s gonna come in here and try to rip my cart. My dad loves go-karts.”

Hailie Deegan’s competitive spirit comes from her father, Brian Deegan, having battled him on the go-kart tracks since childhood. The father-daughter duo has pushed each other to the limit from an early age, engaging in some good-natured trash talk while competing in go-kart races. The pair took their races so seriously, that they have also totaled a couple of carts battling each other. So it should come as no surprise that Hailie wants to keep her shiny new go-kart a secret, as she doesn’t want to run the risk of wrecking it.

How did Brian Deegan discover Hailie’s knack for racing?

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Despite being from a racing family, Hailie Deegan was never forced to pursue it as a career. Her journey in motorsports began after Marissa Deegan persuaded her husband Brian to buy her a go-kart to compete in local events. The simple gesture proved to be a turning point in Hailie’s life, as she discovered her love for racing, while her talent and hard work helped her get the results. Soon, she became a trailblazer in the world of motorsports, becoming the first female driver to win a Modified Kart championship, as well as succeed in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series. While her dream to compete in the Cup Series remains unfulfilled, Hailie Deegan hopes to join Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick as one of only three women to compete in NASCAR’s highest level since 1990.

Reflecting on Hailie’s childhood, her father Brian Deegan recounted the time when he believed she wasn’t suited for the rigors of motorsport. Speaking to Kenny Wallace on episode 43 of ‘The Kenny Conversation’ on his YouTube channel, Brian Deegan said, “She (Hailie) was more arts and crafts, like the girl that was, kind of like that style. I’m like I don’t know you’re not really race material. She went out and started getting on the podium like started beating the boys and I was like all right yeah. So then my interest right, I’m like okay I think she wants to race and so I got behind that.”

Deegan’s infectious personality, combined with her social media presence has won over the hearts of fans. She was recognized as the most popular driver in the Truck Series from 2021 to 2023. However, despite having ample fan support and sponsorship opportunities, her journey in stock car racing has been far from straightforward. She was forced to part ways with AM Racing after just 17 Xfinity Series appearances as results didn’t go her way. The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to IndyCar, and a change in scenery might help her in the longer run. As of now, Hailie Deegan is going back to her roots by driving go-karts, and it’s only a matter of time before she makes her way to NASCAR once again.

Do you think Hailie Deegan will return to NASCAR soon? Let us know in the comments!