Hailie Deegan was unexpectedly replaced by Joey Logano for the Chicago Street Race. So far, Deegan has struggled this season, not securing a top-10 finish in the first 17 races this season. She is currently 27th in the points standings, which has potentially influenced AM Racing’s decision to replace her.

AM Racing aims to use Joey Logano’s experience to enhance its performance and competitiveness. Logano’s involvement is intended to bring insights from a veteran driver to rejuvenate the team. During the pre-race interview at the Chicago Street Course, Logano came to talk about driving in two leagues at the same time, and here is what he had to say.

Joey Logano is ready to compete in the Xfinity series

During the pre-race press conference, Joey Logano was asked about jumping into Xfinity to replace Hailie Deegan. One journalist came forth to say, “See, you’re also in the Xfinity car this weekend as well. What kind of advantage can that be in terms of just getting reps in laps around the racetrack, despite how different the cars are?”

Longano then responded, saying, “Yeah, there’s no doubt that running on a street course is going to be better. I think the best example of that is Shane, right? When you look at the experience he had on street courses, it showed up immediately in a car he had never driven before here. So it tells me it doesn’t matter what kind of car you’re driving; he’s able to gain that experience.”

The No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse driver then explained his state of mind when the offer was presented to him. He said, “For me, when this opportunity showed up, I was like, ‘Well, yeah, I’ll drive it. I’ll do it.’ It’s just because of the experience you get and knowing the little nuances of the track. It’s so different than any other road course you go to.”

Joey Logano wants to use this chance to understand the tracks better saying, “It’s just a matter of finding those little details and getting comfortable knowing where the passing zones are, knowing how close you can get to the walls, and being able to maximize things. It just takes some time, and I think more laps will help.”

Logano is a promising driver, and along with being a full-time driver in the Cup series, he has found his way to AM Racing to drive the No 15 Ford Mustang. While Logano has found his way to the Xfinity Series, what will this mean for Hailie Deegan?

Hailie Deegan’s uncertain future in NASCAR

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With this change in the driver lineup, Hailie Deegan’s future hangs in the balance as Logano is a reliable driver that might continue with the team. AM Racing has not confirmed a driver for the upcoming Pocono race. And Deegan’s status with the team is still to be determined (TBD), as per FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass.

Team president, Wade Moore, highlighted the goal of providing their drivers with the best equipment and opportunities through their alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing. Moore also acknowledged the competitive nature of the Xfinity Series and the team’s need to improve their performance.

Moore emphasized the importance of Logano’s feedback to enhance their race cars for a stronger second half of the season. Deegan’s future with AM Racing will likely be addressed after evaluating Logano’s performance and feedback from the Chicago race.

That being said, are you excited to see Joey Logano driving in the Xfinity series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.