Numbers Reveal Hailie Deegan's Skill Wasn't Her Lone Issue in Xfinity Series

Hailie Deegan announced on Monday that she is transitioning out of NASCAR and will be competing in IndyCar as part of the Indy NXT series with HMD Motorsports in 2025.

The move ends her NASCAR career, which included three full-time seasons in the Truck Series and a half-season in the Xfinity Series this year.

It's a dramatic change from what her fans expected coming into the 2024 campaign. Many predicted it would be a breakout year for the 23-year-old and she would find more success in the Xfinity Series because the competition wouldn't be wrecking her on a consistent basis.

Deegan's 2024 numbers aren't great and include four top-20 results in 17 races. Her best finish was a 12th at Talladega. However, when taking a broader look at the totality of the 2024 season and the No. 15 car she drove, the statistics indicate it wasn't all a driver issue.

In those 17 races, Deegan registered an average finishing position of 26.82.

Since her departure, the AM Racing car has run a dozen races and been piloted by six drivers, including two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano and Cup rookie Josh Berry. The average finishing position over that span is slightly better at 26.25.

Taking Logano and his three races out of the mix, including two top-10 results — an 8th at Chicago and 9th at Watkins Glen — and the AFP of the Ford car bumps up to 28.88, or notably worse than Deegan's average.

There was a debate around the time Deegan left AM Racing on whether the lackluster performance was due to the driver or the No. 15 car.

In hindsight, it was likely a combination of both with the rookie's inexperience playing a factor. But based on the season's numbers with other drivers, the car itself was also a big reason for her struggles.

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