Following in Danica Patrick’s footsteps, Temecula native Hailie Deegan is steadily establishing herself as a fierce competitor on NASCAR’s tracks. With her family’s roots in motocross, Deegan has built a reputation for being an aggressive driver, as she doesn’t shy away from putting the bumper on fellow competitors.
Now in her third full-time Craftsman Truck Series season with the backing of ThorSport Racing, Hailie Deegan also dabbles in Tony Stewart’s SRX Racing venture. Having made her mark in a sport known for its ‘punch-gate’ saga, Hailie Deegan recently revealed why she won’t let her fists do the talking.
Hailie Deegan doesn’t believe in continuing the Ross Chastain-Noah Gragson saga
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Racing on NASCAR’s track is nonetheless a daunting task. With every race, driver tempers are on the edge, as even the slightest of paint rubbing action can make or break a driver’s day. The 2023 season was no different, as the NASCAR community witnessed the infamous on-track brawl between Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson.
Walking down the same path Jeb Burton and Chandler Smith too traded blows earlier this season. Having faced her fair share of in-race driver aggression, Hailie Deegan believes of-track sparring is not the answer.
Speaking to Large and Spider in a recent episode of the Rubbin is Racing podcast, Deegan said, “I’m not gonna go and probably punch somebody because of the case that it can make someone else look bad. There’s times I get pissed, get really really mad after races, and I think that you can go up to them and have a conversation, but honestly, what’s the point? You have a conversation with them it’s not like they’re gonna have a self-reflecting moment like, ‘You know what? I shouldn’t do that.’ It’s probably not gonna happen.”
The ThorSport Racing driver further added, “And at least if someone came up and talked to me, and has in the past, like I’m not gonna go and reflect on, and think, ‘Wow! I shouldn’t have done that.’ Drivers don’t do that. And so I don’t think you’ll ever see me go and punch somebody because of the case that I am a girl. And like if they do swing back on me, which probably would happen if I punch somebody, it would look really bad for them.”
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While she said she won’t be recreating any ‘punch-gate’ incidents, Deegan’s patience is being tested on the SRX tracks.
Hailie Deegan falls prey to Paul Tracy’s antics
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Driving the #5 car in the Tony Stewart-owned SRX series, Hailie Deegan has been battling to keep her calm behind the wheel of the #5 car. Earlier, being collected in a pile-up at the Stafford event that saw Kevin Harvick bow out of the race prematurely, Deegan then fell prey to Paul Tracy at the Pulaski County Motorsports Park.
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As 12 laps remained for the completion of the Main Event at Pulaski County, Hailie Deegan was sitting in the 9th position behind former NASCAR driver, Kenny Schrader. Spinning out on purpose in front of the field, Paul Tracy triggered a massive wreck. Attempting to avoid the mangled cars of Tracy and Schrader that lay in front of her, Deegan lost control and spun out, narrowly avoiding getting T-boned by Marco Andretti’s #1 car.
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With her patience wearing thin owing to the antics of fellow competitors, can Hailie Deegan stand firm on her stance of not resorting to a fistfight?