Why replacing Hailie Deegan at Chicago Street Race is the right choice

Hailie Deegan will not race in Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Chicago.

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano will pilot the No. 15 Ford Mustang — a full-time ride for Deegan in 2024 — in The Loop 110.

AM Racing released a statement regarding the matter, saying that they "Haven't had the success on track that we were hoping for in the first half of the season."

"We intend to take the feedback and data from the Chicago race weekend and apply it to building better racecars every week so AM Racing can have a better second half of the season," the statement said.

It's no secret that Deegan has struggled with AM Racing in 2024, as her best finish in the first 17 races of the season is 12th at Talladega. Road courses have been the height of Deegan's struggles, as in the three road-course races run so far in 2024, her best start is 35th and her best finish is 23rd.

According to Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass, Deegan will not receive a waiver to still be eligible for the Xfinity Series playoffs. However, with a win unlikely for Deegan — who currently sits 27th in points - in the last nine races of the regular season, taking a week off and regaining confidence could be key for improvement in the season's second half, especially with a tough race at Pocono looming.

AM Racing is making the right — albeit, tough - choice: Rather than throwing Deegan to the wolves at a track type she has struggled at, she gets a one-week break and an opportunity to learn as a Cup Series champion gives her team feedback. For a young driver looking to build up a career, missing the playoffs in her rookie Xfinity Series season likely won't matter in the grand scheme.

Logano won't have the best equipment under him on Saturday, as AM Racing still has a ways to go in becoming a race-winning team, but he certainly brings a veteran presence to a team looking for any semblance of success.

Logano will take the green flag with the rest of the Xfinity Series field shortly after 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The Loop 110 will air on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.