Hailie Deegan will be the second female on the Indy NXT grid next season, joining the established race-winner Jamie Chadwick.
The American driver makes the move over after spending four years in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series and a further two in the Xfinity Series.
Deegan was voted to in as the Craftsman Truck Series’ most popular driver for three consecutive seasons between 2021 and 2023, showing how she could bring some new fans to Indy.
It will be her first time behind the wheel of a single-seater, open-cockpit race car, which could pose plenty of challenges.
Hailie Deegan is a ‘huge’ name to sign for HMD Motorsports
The 23-year-old transitioned from dirt racing to stock car racing in 2016 to chase a career on ovals, becoming the first female driver to win races in the West Series.
It seems that she was eager for a new challenge, and a strong basis for comparison during her maiden campaign will race Indy NXT race-winner Jamie Chadwick.
The Brit has tested an IndyCar and has proven that she can cope with the demands of the higher levels, but Deegan’s new team told RACER that they are just as pleased with her preparation for the next steps.
“Hailie, and especially the Deegan name, are huge in motorsports, and we welcome them to the HMD Motorsports family,” said HMD Motorsports team president Mike Maurini.
“Hailie has already been out to the shop and is taking the move to open-wheel racing seriously. She is looking for a place in the Indianapolis area to be immersed with the team and is already working with her engineer.
“We want to make sure she and all the other HMD Motorsports drivers are as ready as possible for every on-track session.”
What can we expect from Deegan’s first season?
It will take some time for Deegan to get used to the physical demands of driving on permanent race tracks, with heavy braking zones.
For the first time in a while, everyone she is going to be competing against will be a very similar age to her.
That usually results in more incidents or needless collisions between drivers who don’t quite have the experience to avoid them yet.
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However, Deegan has a lot of laps under her belt for someone at the age of 23, so don’t expect that to be a problem.
A success for her would be a few top 10 finishes, and maybe one top five if she wants to stay in single-seaters beyond 2025.