Hailie Deegan Eyes Return to NASCAR Truck Series, but Future Remains Uncertain
Baca dalam 60 detik
- Hailie Deegan menegaskan keinginan kuat untuk kembali berlaga di NASCAR Truck Series pada 2027, namun belum ada kesepakatan pasti.
- Performa solid di ARCA Menards West Series 2026 bersama Bill McAnally Racing menjadi modal, tetapi tantangan utama adalah pendanaan sponsor.
- Dengan waktu tersisa beberapa bulan sebelum musim 2027 dimulai, Deegan masih memburu dukungan finansial untuk mewujudkan targetnya.
Hailie Deegan has voiced her big ambition to return to the NASCAR Truck Series in the 2027 season, but the 25-year-old driver admits there is no firm contract yet. At a press conference at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday (8/3/2026), Deegan said the desire depends heavily on sponsor readiness and a number of other factors that must fall into place.
Deegan is currently running a full season in the 2026 ARCA Menards West Series with Bill McAnally Racing. She sits in the top five of the standings and has just taken an emotional win at Madera Speedway, California. The victory was her fourth in her ARCA West career, but her first since 2019. The result is a positive signal after she tried open-wheel racing in Indy NXT last year.
Deegan's career path has been full of twists. She started in ARCA West in 2018, then ran full seasons in the NASCAR Truck Series between 2021 and 2023. After that, she spent half a season in the 2024 NASCAR O'Reilly Series before moving to Indy NXT. Now she is back in stock cars and showing promising form. But to step up to the Truck Series, Deegan faces a classic challenge in racing: funding.
"Whatever I do, I want to stay in racing as long as possible. That's my goal. I really love racing. It's part of my life," Deegan said, adding that her dream scenario is to return to the Truck Series next year.
Even so, Deegan is not blind to the hard reality. She said that to race in the Truck Series, a major sponsor commitment is required. "We're working on everything possible to move forward and keep exploring opportunities. But of course, it takes a lot of sponsor support," she said. She even joked that if she had an unlimited budget, she would pick the Truck Series right away.
Deegan admits she cannot yet give a definite answer about her future. "I wish I could give a definite answer, but I don't know myself yet. We're still working. The dream scenario is to race in the Truck Series. If everything goes smoothly and keeps developing, that would be amazing," she said. She stressed that she is not too worried because there are still several months before the 2027 season gets underway. However, she realizes that the hardest part in racing is securing the right sponsor to fund the team.
For Deegan, racing is not just a profession but a passion rooted in her life. She is determined to keep competing at the highest level as long as she can. With her strong form in ARCA West, the chance to return to the Truck Series remains open, provided she can convince sponsors that investing in her is worthwhile. American racing fans will surely hope to see Deegan back in action on the Truck Series track, given that she is one of the most prominent female drivers in NASCAR.
Going forward, Deegan's focus is on finishing the 2026 season with the best possible results while building a network of financial support. If everything goes to plan, she could return to the Truck Series in 2027. But without certainty over sponsors, her future remains a big question mark. Can Deegan make her dream come true, or will she have to extend the wait? Time will tell, but one thing is certain: her drive to keep racing never fades.
