Hailie Deegan once carried the weight of high expectations in NASCAR. With a massive social media following and a strong background in off-road racing, she seemed destined for success. However, her time in the NASCAR Truck and Xfinity Series never quite lived up to the hype. “Unfortunately, it has not turned out the way that I expected,” she admitted after the end of the 2024 season. Notably, the struggles weren’t just about performance.

Her departure from NASCAR was anything but smooth. Deegan left AM Racing midway through her rookie Xfinity Series season after failing to break into the top 10 across 17 races. Behind the scenes, internal issues with the team and a lack of performance alignment only made things worse. By the summer of 2024, she had seen enough. She joined HMD Motorsports for the 2025 Indy NXT season, marking a complete shift in her career.

Deegan’s move to Indy NXT caught many by surprise. The transition from stock cars to open-wheel racing is drastic, and she had never even attended an IndyCar race before mid-2024. Yet, after finding no viable opportunities in NASCAR’s upper ranks, she chose to take on a new challenge. Now, after her debut race, she spoke candidly about the transition, revealing just how different her new world is from the one she left behind.

“The difference is wild, for sure,” she said, speaking to Frontstretch. “It’s something you almost can’t explain to people—they have to experience it for themselves. You can have no power steering when you’re going slow, and it’s fine. It’s not hard. But the moment you start picking up pace and you have all that downforce on you, the air pushing the car down making it feel heavier in the wheel, that’s when it’s—like, the faster you try to go, the harder it is. It just keeps getting harder and harder.”

Her words weren’t just about the technical aspects of the two-racing series. Notably, unlike NASCAR, Indy NXT cars lack power steering, making them far more physically demanding to drive. After the race, Deegan’s arm was swollen from the strain. “This is by far the hardest form of racing I’ve ever been a part of. By hardest, I mean physically. I definitely need to be in the gym as much as I can be,” Deegan admitted.

“This is by far the hardest form of racing I’ve ever been a part of. By ‘hardest’, I mean physically”@HailieDeegan is still getting used to not having power steering in her new Indy NXT role. Says her goal was to not crash and finish on the lead lap, which she did.#INDYCAR… pic.twitter.com/ljt1b2D2xy

— Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT) March 2, 2025

However, her IndyCar debut was not a blistering show but a learning curve. She finished 14th on the streets of St. Petersburg, completing all 45 laps. While the result wasn’t spectacular, it was a step in the right direction. Her primary goal was survival, and she accomplished that. Speaking about it, she said, “I mean, I wanted to finish on the lead lap, finish all the laps. So whatever we got from there, I just want to take away the good I could from it.”

Notably, Deegan’s NASCAR struggles are no secret. In three full seasons in the Truck Series, she recorded just five top-10 finishes in 69 races. When she attempted to move up to the Xfinity Series with AM Racing, the results didn’t improve. Her best finish in 17 races was 12th, and she never truly had a car capable of contending.

The biggest issue? Money. “Not many opportunities come unless you got deep pockets,” she admitted earlier this year. Without millions in sponsorship backing, she never had a chance to compete with the top teams. However, as Deegan struggled to have a great run on her Indy NXT debut, another debutant stole the show.

Dennis Hauger dominates on his Indy NXT debut!

While Hailie Deegan’s debut was a learning experience, another driver, Dennis Hauger, stole the spotlight at St. Petersburg. The Norwegian driver made history by dominating his first-ever Indy NXT race, leading every lap from pole position and securing a commanding victory. Hauger, driving the No. 28 Rental Group car for Andretti Global, became the first rookie since Linus Lundqvist to win their debut Indy NXT race.

Notably, his flawless execution on the street course sent a strong message to the field—he is a serious contender for the 2025 championship. Meanwhile, his teammate Lochie Hughes followed in second, giving Andretti a strong 1-2 finish. Notably, the Indy NXT season continues on May 4 at Barber Motorsports Park. Speaking on their team dominance over the weekend, Hauger said, “The car was really good, and the team did an amazing job all weekend long to be up there with us. Super happy. Good start to the season and definitely a confidence boost for us.” 

Hauger will aim to maintain his momentum, while Deegan hopes to close the performance gap and prove she belongs in open-wheel racing. For Hailie Deegan, this season is about growth. She admitted she has “no clue how everyone races” and is still adjusting to the style of competition. Her goal is to see consistent progress, especially when the series reaches oval tracks, where she believes she will be more competitive. Do you think Hailie Deegan has a bright future at the IndyNXT level? Let us know in the comments below!