Hailie Deegan heads to Homestead with new vibe: Some NASCAR momentum

Hailie Deegan heads to Homestead this week with a little wind in her back.

During two full-time seasons in the NASCAR Truck Series, momentum has rarely been fleeting, so she is welcoming the company.

“I learned so much that I still haven't processed. But I'm glad we were able to have a good race,” she said last Saturday after her first start in NASCAR's Xfinity Series.

Her 13th place on the first lap – in a Ford owned by Bobby Dotter – was the best debut by a woman in the Xfinity Series,

 and it came on the heels of her best 2022 Truck Series finish – a sixth place. place executed in Talladega.

A crew chief change several weeks ago had positive - if somewhat modest - results during Jerry Baxter's four races at the top of the box.

 After finishing 26th and 22nd at Richmond and Kansas, Deegan took his #1 Ford truck to a 14th at Bristol, followed by sixth at Talladega, both on the first lap.

Hers another Truck Series top 10 this year was on the Mid-Ohio course.

Deegan's David Gilliland Racing team isn't one of the best-funded operations in the Truck Series,

 but Deegan was expected to outperform enough this year to secure a possible promotion to the Xfinity Series.

That could still happen, because marketing and sponsorship interest is still a big driver of motorsport, as it always has been.

 If a team-and-bill-payer combination comes along, Deegan's plans for 2023 could involve a sedan rather than a pickup.

And her show debut in Las Vegas suggests that a car might be more to her liking.

“We were able to have a really fun day, a really clean day and a super happy day,” the 21-year-old Californian said later. 

"I would say that once we really got into stage two to stage three, that's when I started to feel a lot better about it."

Officially, Deegan's plans for 2023 haven't been released, although it looks like his tenure at Gilliland Racing will end in two years - 

the team is expected to start putting Toyotas in next year, which leaves Ford employee Deegan in moderation. of search.

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