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DIRT DRIVING For Hailie Deegan’s eighth birthday, her parents did She’s making her own rules on the racetrack, reminding

DEEGAN Her parents got her a small truck, and racing has being a girl…but I feel like there is a lot more that can
not get her the typical gift that most children of that age
Access when asked about the comparison to Danica
Patrick, “I’m my own person. I come from a different
ask for.
racing background. Definitely, she did a lot for the sport
exceed that. Our personalities are different. We’re two
been her passion ever since. Her father is a ten-time
polar-opposites when you think about it.”
X-Games medalist, but Hailie has charted her own
course. Her immense success in junior racing started
In Deegan’s first season on NASCAR K&N Pro Series
to catch the eye of NASCAR and development pro-
West, running for Bill McAnally Racing, she made her
grams across the country.
She promptly became the first female driver to win a
falling back slightly from her starting position thanks to
NASCAR Pro Series Race. debut at New Smyrna Speedway. She finished 19th,
mechanical problems.
By Alex Apple
Born in California, the 17-year-old started racing dirt Later in the year, Hailie caught the eye of a former Sprint
bikes the year before her parents got her a truck at age Cup Series Champion, Kevin Harvick. The two fought
eight. With her father always around tracks and racing, for position late in the race.
Deegan began to find her own passion for speed and
driving. Harvick told Daniel McFadin of NBC Sports after the
race, “If I had to pick one person to say, ‘Alright, that’s
Deegan’s success started in the Lucas Oil Off Road the person KHI would want to represent and has the
Racing Series where she was the first female to win a most potential,’ it would probably be Hailie Deegan. She
championship in 2013. A few years later, she became did really, really well.”
the Modified Kart National Champion.
For her age, Deegan has a remarkable level of racing
Later the next year, Deegan make the decision to ex- experience on different surfaces and in different cars.
plore new horizons. Having caught the eye of many as
one of the year young drivers on the kart series, Hailie Deegan received her high school diploma in June of
moved to asphalt. 2018 before a race at Sonoma. Adding to her day, Dee-
gan went on to qualify third moments after receiving her
She made her asphalt, late-model debut with a pair of diploma. That race completed an impressive start to her
CARS Super Late Model Tour starts, the first of which year in West series races. In each of her first six races,
came at Tri-County Motor Speedway, then Hickory Deegan finished top ten.
Motor Speedway.
Despite all those accomplishments, the highlight of
While still attending Rancho Christian High School, Deegan’s season came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Hailie became a NASCAR Drive for Diversity member Dirt Track. Deegan qualified on the pole, the first female
in 2016 and became one of nine drivers to comprise driver to do that at the K&N level. However, her first win
the 2017 NASCAR Next Class. would come shortly after at the NAPA Auto Parts Idaho
208. Sensing a chance at victory, Deegan passed her team-
Deegan has shown a rare maturity and dedication to mate on the last lap to win, the only lap she led all race.
her craft that separates her from many of her teenage
peers. Training as hard on her fitness as her driving, Deegan easily amassed Rookie of the Year honors.
Deegan has shown a consistency most teenagers
cannot match. At 17 years old, Deegan is one of the brightest young
stars in NASCAR, but what impresses all who meet the
That Deegan just recently got her official drivers budding star is the ease with which she handles her
license seems ridiculous for someone with so much success. Comfortable in her own skin, Deegan possess-
history in the motorsport’s world, but Deegan joked es the poise that eludes most teens.
with Access last year, “The instructor actually told
my parents I could pick it up a little bit.” The irony is Little stands in Deegan’s way if she continues improving
remarkable for someone so used to driving fast. at her current pace.

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