CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hailie Deegan has made a significant shift from NASCAR to open-wheel racing in the current season, signaling that this transition might be permanent. Despite being one of NASCAR’s most marketable figures, boasting nearly 5 million followers across her social media accounts, she has struggled to find the performance and financial backing necessary to secure a top position and further her career.

Deegan has decided to move away from competing in the Truck Series, as she found the opportunities for advancement primarily reliant on funding that she lacks. Instead, she has chosen to join HMD Motorsports for this season in Indy NXT, which serves as the primary development league for IndyCar.

Although Deegan has no previous experience in Indy racing, she also doesn’t have the resources to make a transition to the Xfinity Series. Last year, she tried to ascend through a multi-year contract with AM Racing but ended up leaving the team mid-season after completing 17 races with a highest finish of 12th place.

Since then, Deegan has used her newfound free time to attend IndyCar events and successfully arranged a chance to race for one of Indy NXT’s leading teams. For the time being, NASCAR is no longer a focus for her.

“I’m not actively looking for a ride or anything like that, but I wouldn’t say no if a couple million dollars came my way,” Deegan expressed recently. “This is a common situation for many in racing; opportunities seldom arise unless you have deep pockets. Many may not understand that the financial demands in NASCAR are enormous. If a miracle happened and $6 million meant I could race for a quality Xfinity team, I’d be all in.”

Deegan pointed out the harsh realities of the current economy, mentioning how reductions in sponsorship and marketing budgets make it challenging to secure funding for racing. Her primary challenge is proving her value to potential sponsors, considering her record. In three full seasons of racing in the Truck Series, she achieved only five top-10 finishes across 69 races. During her limited participation in the Xfinity Series, competing against better-funded teams proved to be a struggle.

“How do you convince a sponsor to invest hundreds of thousands for a race with a guaranteed return?” she reflected. “It’s incredibly difficult. I would have loved to participate in Xfinity consistently if I had access to a competitive car. The sad truth is that achieving that requires substantial sponsorship funding.”

Deegan is now setting her sights on open-wheel racing, preparing for a 14-event Indy NXT schedule which kicks off in March on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. While she has only gone through testing so far, she has found the experience engaging and enjoyable.

Recognizing the uncertainty of this new venture, Deegan recalls her lack of familiarity with IndyCar racing until she attended an event at Iowa Speedway last July, followed by another at Nashville Speedway in September.

Now with a development team that has a successful track record, including numerous race victories and championships in NXT, Deegan feels optimistic. This team has successfully nurtured drivers like David Malukas and Linus Lundqvist into the IndyCar ranks.

“I feel like I’m learning so much and truly enjoying the process,” Deegan stated. “This is all about trying something different. It’s a considerable change, but a delightful one. Naturally, I don’t expect to win my first race. I’m being realistic and haven’t established specific finishing goals. I want to gauge how I perform in the opening race and learn how my competitors race, including how often incidents occur.”

“This whole experience is so new to me. My aim is to remain competitive and track my progress, particularly on the ovals where I believe my strengths will shine through,” she added.