Hailie Deegan Bio
Hailie Rochelle Deegan is an American professional racing driver who has competed across multiple motorsports disciplines. Born on July 18, 2001, in Temecula, California, Deegan grew up in a motorsports family and began her competitive career in off-road racing before transitioning to asphalt competition in 2016. She is the daughter of Brian Deegan, a multi-time X Games gold medalist and founder of Metal Mulisha.
Deegan made history as the first female driver to win races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, achieving victories in both 2018 and 2019. Her competitive nature and aggressive driving style quickly established her as one of the most talked-about young drivers in American motorsports. After several seasons in NASCAR touring and national series, she expanded her career into American open-wheel racing for the 2025 season.
Early Life and Background
Deegan was born in Temecula, California, where she attended Rancho Christian High School. Her father Brian Deegan’s career as a professional freestyle motocross rider and off-road racer exposed her to motorsports from an early age. Deegan began riding dirt bikes at age seven and received her first Trophy Kart for her eighth birthday, launching her competitive racing journey.
In 2009, Deegan won her first race in the SXS Stadium Series Trophy Kart class. She progressed through the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, becoming the first female driver to win a LOORRS championship when she captured the Junior 2 Karts class title in 2013. Her success continued with Modified Kart Regional Champion honors in 2015 and Modified Kart National Champion status in 2016.
Deegan’s younger brothers have also pursued racing careers, with Haiden Deegan becoming a professional AMA supercross and motocross racer who won the 2023 AMA SMX 250 championship. Her youngest brother Hudson also competes in motocross. The family’s deep motorsports roots provided Deegan with extensive racing experience before she made the transition to asphalt competition.
Path to NASCAR
Deegan began her transition to asphalt racing in 2016 by driving legends cars for Rev Racing. She was selected as a NASCAR Drive for Diversity member that year and received the NASCAR Diversity Young Racer award in 2017. In May 2017, she was named to the NASCAR Next class as both the youngest member and only woman in the group.
In 2017, Deegan made her asphalt late model debut with two starts in the CARS Super Late Model Tour at Tri-County Motor Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway. These pavement races marked her shift away from off-road competition as she pursued a career in stock car racing. Her performance caught the attention of established NASCAR teams.
Deegan became a member of Toyota’s driver development program early in her career. This relationship helped facilitate her entry into NASCAR’s touring series. The combination of her off-road racing background, family pedigree, and early asphalt success positioned her for a full-time NASCAR career beginning in 2018.
Hailie Deegan Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
Deegan began her full-time NASCAR career in 2018 with Bill McAnally Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. She made her series debut at Kern County Raceway Park in March 2018, finishing seventh and earning praise from NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. She scored her first career top-five finish with a fourth-place result at Orange Show Speedway in May 2018.
Later that season, Deegan made history by winning the pole at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, becoming the first woman to win a pole at the K&N Pro Series level. On September 29, 2018, she achieved another milestone by winning the NAPA Auto Parts Idaho 208 at Meridian Speedway, becoming the first woman to win at the K&N Pro Series level. She closed the 2018 season by clinching Rookie of the Year honors in the West Series with a sixth-place finish at the season finale.
K&N Pro Series Breakthrough (2019)
Deegan returned to Bill McAnally Racing for the 2019 season, continuing her dual schedule in the K&N West and East Series. She opened the West Series season with a victory at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, securing her second career K&N win with a last-lap pass on Jagger Jones. This victory established her as a consistent winner at the K&N Pro Series level.
In May 2019, Deegan expanded into the ARCA Menards Series with Venturini Motorsports. She made her series debut at Toledo Speedway, finishing eighteenth after being involved in an accident. She scored her first ARCA top-five finish in October at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Deegan also made select starts for DGR-Crosley in the K&N East Series, including a race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Deegan added to her K&N West victory total with a controversial win at Colorado National Speedway, where she spun out teammate Derek Kraus on the final lap. She ended the 2019 season with a fourth-place finish at ISM Raceway, clinching third in the final West Series championship point standings. Her three career K&N Pro Series West wins all came with aggressive last-lap moves.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2020)
Deegan switched from Toyota’s development program to Ford’s at the end of 2019, signing a full-time ARCA Menards Series contract with DGR-Crosley for the 2020 season. In her ARCA debut at Daytona International Speedway, she ran the fastest lap time in opening practice and finished second behind Michael Self, tying for the best ARCA finish by a woman.
Throughout the 2020 ARCA season, Deegan recorded three consecutive seventh-place finishes before achieving a third-place result at Lucas Oil Raceway, which tied the series record for best finish by a woman on a short track. She later matched her career-best ARCA finish with a second-place run at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack, the series’ only dirt race of the season.
Deegan finished third in the 2020 ARCA Menards Series point standings and claimed the series’ Rookie of the Year award. She made her NASCAR Truck Series debut in October 2020 with DGR-Crosley at Kansas Speedway, finishing 16th and recording the best result in Truck Series history for a woman in a series debut.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Era (2021-2022)
Deegan moved full-time to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2021 with David Gilliland Racing, driving the No. 1 Ford. Her rookie season included a seventh-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, which marked her first Truck Series career top ten and made her the first woman in series history to score such a finish outside of a superspeedway.
She ended the 2021 season with a seventeenth-place finish in the Truck Series point standings. Despite the challenges of competing during the COVID-19 pandemic with limited practice and qualifying sessions, Deegan regarded the season as a valuable learning experience. Her growing popularity and social media presence helped maintain sponsor support throughout the year.
Deegan received the 2021 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Most Popular Driver award, making her the second straight rookie to win the honor after Zane Smith in 2020. The award reflected her status as one of the most visible drivers in the series and her ability to connect with fans through various media platforms.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Era (2023-2024)
Deegan made her NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in October 2022 with SS-Green Light Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. She finished thirteenth on the lead lap, recording the best result in Xfinity Series history for a woman in a series debut. This performance positioned her for a move to the Xfinity Series full-time.
On October 5, 2023, Deegan signed a multi-year deal with AM Racing to drive the No. 15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse starting in 2024. The 2024 season proved challenging, as the team struggled with consistency through the first seventeen races. Deegan recorded only four finishes of twentieth or better, with her best result being a twelfth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.
Following a string of disappointing finishes, AM Racing replaced Deegan with two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano for the Chicago street race. On July 8, 2024, AM Racing and Deegan announced they would part ways. The separation ended her full-time NASCAR career after seven seasons across NASCAR’s touring and national series.
HMD Motorsports Era (2025-Present)
In October 2024, Deegan announced her transition to American open-wheel racing for the 2025 season. She joined HMD Motorsports to compete in the Indy NXT series, driving the No. 38 entry. The move marked a significant shift in her career path from stock car racing to the IndyCar ladder system.
The 2025 season represents Deegan’s first full season in open-wheel competition. Her adjustment to single-seater cars and road course racing presented new challenges compared to her previous experience in stock cars. HMD Motorsports provided her with competitive equipment as she sought to establish herself in the Indy NXT series.
Driving Style and Strengths
Deegan is known for her aggressive on-track driving style, which she attributes to her family’s roots in motocross racing. All three of her K&N Pro Series West victories came after making contact with another car, including one race where she spun out her teammate on the final lap. She has embraced this reputation as an aggressive driver, stating that she is focused on winning races and will do whatever is necessary to achieve success.
Her background in off-road racing contributed to her fearless approach on track. However, this aggressive style has occasionally led to controversies and conflicts with other drivers throughout her career. Deegan’s willingness to make bold moves has been both a strength and a point of criticism from fellow competitors.
Notable Races and Milestones
Deegan’s most significant achievements include becoming the first woman to win races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Her victory at Meridian Speedway in September 2018 made history, and she added two more wins the following season. She also became the first woman to win a pole at the K&N Pro Series level when she qualified first at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2018.
Her ARCA Menards Series runner-up finish at Daytona International Speedway in 2020 tied for the best finish by a woman in series history. Deegan also made her mark in the Truck Series with a seventh-place finish at Gateway in 2021, establishing another milestone for women in NASCAR’s national series. Her transition to Indy NXT in 2025 represents the latest chapter in her diverse racing career.
Hailie Deegan Career Wins
Deegan has achieved notable success across multiple racing series, with her most significant victories coming in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Her wins have established her as one of the most successful female drivers in NASCAR touring series history.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Highlights
Deegan won three races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West between 2018 and 2019. Her first victory came at Meridian Speedway in September 2018, where she passed teammate Cole Rouse on the final lap. She opened the 2019 season with a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, making a last-lap pass on Jagger Jones. Her third K&N West victory came at Colorado National Speedway, where she spun out teammate Derek Kraus on the final lap to secure the win.
Other Wins & Performances
Before her NASCAR career, Deegan achieved significant success in off-road racing. She won the LOORRS Junior 2 Karts championship in 2013, becoming the first female driver to win a LOORRS class championship. She followed with Modified Kart Regional Champion honors in 2015 and Modified Kart National Champion status in 2016. Deegan was also named the 2016 Lucas Oil Off Road Driver of the Year.
Hailie Deegan Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Deegan comes from a prominent motorsports family. Her father is Brian Deegan, founder of Metal Mulisha and a multi-time X Games gold medalist in freestyle motocross. Brian Deegan’s career as a professional off-road racer and extreme sports athlete provided Hailie with extensive exposure to racing from childhood. His experience and guidance have been instrumental throughout her racing development.
Both of Deegan’s younger brothers have pursued professional racing careers. Haiden Deegan competes in AMA supercross and motocross racing and won the 2023 AMA SMX 250 championship. Her youngest brother Hudson has also competed in motocross events. The Deegan family represents one of the most successful multi-generational racing families in American motorsports.
Personal Life
Deegan is engaged to Chase Cabre, a dirt track racer and former NASCAR driver. Cabre served as her co-driver in the 2022 Mint 400 off-road race. Deegan announced their engagement in October 2023 via an Instagram post. She currently splits time between residences in California and Mooresville, North Carolina, allowing her to be close to racing operations on both coasts.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marks Deegan’s first full campaign in American open-wheel racing with HMD Motorsports in the Indy NXT series. This transition represents a significant change from her previous stock car racing experience, requiring adjustment to single-seater cars and a different style of racing. The move to Indy NXT followed her departure from NASCAR after seven seasons across touring and national series.
Deegan’s adaptation to open-wheel competition presented challenges throughout the season as she learned the nuances of road course racing and the technical demands of Indy NXT cars. Her performance showed gradual improvement as she gained experience in the series. HMD Motorsports provided competitive equipment, allowing her to focus on developing her skills in this new discipline.
The 2025 season serves as a foundation for Deegan’s potential advancement in American open-wheel racing. Her extensive experience in NASCAR’s national series provides valuable race craft knowledge, while her continued development in Indy NXT positions her for future opportunities in the IndyCar ecosystem.
