“There’s a New Generation Coming”- Hailie Deegan’s Father Sounds the Alarm on NASCAR’s ‘Electric’ Apprehension With Bold Claim

Ever since motorsport around the globe began transitioning from the beloved combustion engines to electric drive trains, the fans have had a hard time adjusting to the new proposition. After all, what makes up a huge part of the experience is the grumble of a naturally aspirated engine paired with the screams of downshifting.

While the NASCAR community has their fingers crossed that the sport will refrain from going down that route, it quickly became the topic of heavy discussion after Adam Stern revealed NASCAR was aiming for a hybrid setup soon. Adding to the growing interest in NASCAR’s future possibly being electric, Brian Deegan, an established motocross legend and father of Truck Series star Hailie Deegan, sat down for an interview with RACER.com.

Brian Deegan is looking forward to an electrifying future

From speaking about his interest in racing throughout the years to revealing his approval of the Nitrocross electric behemoths, Deegan shared that the future of drive trains excited him. Instead of succumbing to the fears of the community, the 49-year-old is looking forward to a new era of rallying, which could also spill over to NASCAR.

It’s no secret that Brian Deegan has a taste for everything the racing world has to offer. He’s not only been an established motocross rider but also gained popularity as a competent rally driver in the X Games. Deegan reflected on his time traveling the world to participate in rally championships and felt the sport failed to grow its popularity in the US due to poor promotion. But the tides have turned. Ever since rallycross became Nitrocross, the category has been doing wonders for innovation.

Speaking on the rallycross series, he contrasted the old 2.0-litre fire-breathing monsters to the now electric-powered precision machines. Opening the floor with his optimism, he was quoted by RACER, “I’m not stuck on one way or the other. I like the old school rallycross cars to be honest, that’s just me, but the new electric rallycross cars… hopefully they open some more horizons, more doors, more budgets.” As per him, good racing was good racing, and it didn’t always have to be old school.

Brian Deegan also highlighted the entertainment side of things and how that’s what brings in the big bucks. He felt races had to expand to become more of a festivity with a touch of grandiosity. He added, “Obviously diehard racers, I get it. Been there, done it. But in the end, it’s about putting on a good show, and if they can figure out how to keep the crowd entertained the whole time, I think it’s fine.”

In a world where engine sizes are rapidly shrinking in favor of hybrid powertrains, Deegan believes the community shouldn’t be as concerned as they are getting. While we’ve had our fun with the growling V8s, a switch to more modern powertrains could be vastly beneficial according to the former rallycross racer. He further elaborated, “I just think, you have your diehards, ‘oh no, gas and motors ‘til we die’, and I get it, dude, I’m the same way. I love a thousand horsepower engine, the sound of it, it’s awesome, but there’s a new generation coming.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Hailie Deegan’s NASCAR Journey: A Tale of Triumph and Tribulation

While NASCAR’s electric apprehension might be a cause of concern for many petrolheads, if Brian Deegan is so certain the future is bright, it must be so. However, it might take a lot more time for Hailie Deegan to experience the world of all-wheel drive racing like her father!

The Nitrocross series would be a tough challenge for Hailie Deegan, according to her father

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Brian Deegan was asked about the prospect of going up in a head-to-head with his daughter in the series finale of the Nitrocross series. NASCAR is expected to be there in March as well, which could have been perfect timing. However, Deegan’s father believes the series is just too competitive to jump into the deep end! In the same interview, he shared, “The issue is all these guys that race these cars – and I’m jumping in mid-season – they’re all switched on. They don’t make a lot of mistakes at all,”

He added that it is rather difficult for a racer to jump into a series and compete against some of the best. He added, “So I think Hailie would need to do a lot of testing. She’s only driven rear-wheel-drive cars, she’s never really raced an all-wheel-drive car so I think she would need some time to do it.”

Hailie Deegan had reflected she needed ample simulator time to get ready for the Xfinity Series next season. And her father believes the case would be similar if she were to hop into the Nitrocross category. “I think she can do it, she’s a good driver, but you can’t just jump in these. I think even a good rally driver from Europe coming over and just jumping in, I’d be very surprised if they could win.”

READ MORE: Will Hailie Deegan’s Reunion With Former Crew Chief Joe Williams Be Her Winning Edge in Xfinity?

It’s safe to say NASCAR’s future is looking bright, at least according to Brian Deegan. But with other sports failing to make the electric transition sit well with the fans, can NASCAR pull a trick out of Le Man’s book and go the hybrid route?