As the NASCAR off-season frenzy unfolds, speculation is intensifying around Hailie Deegan potentially returning to stock car racing. The 24-year-old driver, who competed in the 2025 Indy NXT series with HMD Motorsports, appears to be reconsidering her career path after a difficult rookie year in open-wheel racing. These Hailie Deegan NASCAR return rumors have gained traction following her recent challenges in the IndyCar feeder series.
Deegan, originally from California and with a strong stock car background, has been linked with a NASCAR comeback just a year after shifting her focus to open-wheel racing. Reports from The Daily Downforce indicate that her tenure in the Indy NXT has not met expectations, prompting discussions about a potential return to the NASCAR fold.
Struggles in Indy NXT Highlight Challenges for Deegan
Hailie Deegan’s rookie season in the 2025 Indy NXT series has been marked by numerous difficulties. Racing for HMD Motorsports, the former NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor failed to secure a single top 10 finish in 16 races. The best performance of her season came on home ground at Laguna Seca in California, where she showed brief glimpses of promise.
Despite her previous experience on ovals, Deegan also faced struggles in oval events, with her highest placement being 13th at the final Grand Prix in Nashville. The cumulative results cast doubts on her future in open-wheel competition, fueling speculation about her next move in motorsport.
At present, no definite plan has been announced for her 2026 racing schedule, and Deegan has remained quiet on her upcoming racing direction. While continuing in IndyCar remains an option, the possibility of ending her open-wheel stint to revisit stock car racing has not been dismissed.
Understanding Deegan’s Departure from NASCAR
Hailie Deegan has previously commented on her decision to step away from NASCAR, providing insight into some factors influencing her career choices. The former ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year in 2020 cited the financial demands of NASCAR as a significant obstacle, especially regarding sponsorship acquisition.
She explained the immense costs involved in securing a competitive ride, emphasizing that opportunities often depend on substantial financial backing. Deegan expressed her thoughts candidly in an interview with Fox Sports:
“I’m not actively trying to look for a ride or anything, but if a couple million dollars falls in my lap, awesome. Same thing for everybody. Not many opportunities come unless you got deep pockets. I think a lot of people fail to realise that on the NASCAR side of things, it is such a crazy number. So if $6 million to run for a quality Xfinity team just came out of nowhere, fell off a tree, for sure I’d do it.” —Hailie Deegan, NASCAR driver
“But the reality of things is in this economy right now, sponsorship and marketing budgets have been cut. It makes it a lot tougher. It’s already tough to find money to go racing.” —Hailie Deegan, NASCAR driver
“It’s hard to say to a sponsor, ‘You spend a couple 100 grand for this race, you’re going to get your value.’ You can’t promise that to people. So it’s very tough from that side. Obviously, I would have loved to run Xfinity full-time, but in a good car. The reality of that is, it takes a lot of sponsorship to do that,” she added. —Hailie Deegan, NASCAR driver
Her struggle to secure consistent sponsorship deals highlights the financial pressures that many drivers face in NASCAR and was a key reason behind her shift to the Indy NXT series in 2025.
What Lies Ahead for Hailie Deegan’s Racing Career?
Since making her stock car debut in 2018, Hailie Deegan has built experience across several racing categories, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the Xfinity Series. The move to open-wheel racing in 2025 was a significant change aimed at exploring new opportunities, but recent results have been less than favorable.
With the 2025 IndyCar season now complete and no official commitment announced for 2026, speculation focuses on whether she will reignite her NASCAR career or continue seeking success in IndyCar. The persistence of Hailie Deegan NASCAR return rumors reflects a broader conversation about the challenges she has faced and the uncertain future she currently navigates in professional racing.
Her decision will not only impact her own trajectory but also attract attention to the broader issues facing drivers transitioning between different motorsport disciplines under financial and performance pressures.
