Hailie Deegan‘s decision to pursue the Hailie Deegan Indy NXT transition in 2025 comes after her father, Brian Deegan, revealed he would have preferred her to race in the F1 Academy next year. Instead, Hailie made a significant career shift from NASCAR to the top tier of IndyCar’s junior ladder, despite her father’s emotional reservations and the risks involved.
Brian Deegan is no stranger to high-speed competition, having earned legendary status on the X Games circuit with 16 medals. He has established a family tradition of racing, with his son Haiden carving a path in motocross. Hailie, meanwhile, has chosen four-wheel racing, launching her career in 2018 in the K&N Pro Series. Over six seasons, she tackled the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Truck Series, and NASCAR Xfinity Series before departing from AM Racing partway through the 2024 season, which paved the way for her move to open-wheel machines.
Family Influence and Career Decisions
Brian Deegan, frequently celebrated as an icon dad in motorsports circles, recently opened up about discussions with his daughter regarding her future. He shared his perspective in a conversation with RACER:
“I’ve asked her if she really wants to continue racing or does she want to move on. She wants to race. Like I said, it’s a tough road, and it would be cool to see her get more support as a young female racer.”
—Brian Deegan, Father
The elder Deegan disclosed his thoughts about Hailie’s next steps, expressing optimism about the F1 Academy, the all-women series launched by Formula One Group in 2023. He discussed the opportunity and noted Hailie’s rationale for her current focus:
“I really wanted her to go do the F1 Academy deal that they were doing with the girls there. I thought that was a cool opportunity. Maybe she will. I don’t know. She felt like she needed to get some more open-wheel seat time before she did that, which I agree. She just started in it. I think give her a season there and kind of see where she is at.”
—Brian Deegan, Father
The F1 Academy has grown rapidly since its inception, providing a high-profile stage for female drivers and attracting international attention. With drivers like Marta Garcia and Abbi Pulling taking recent championship honors and a Netflix documentary shining a spotlight on the series, it stands as a strong platform for women in motorsports. Despite this momentum and her father’s encouragement, Hailie selected a different route, one that thrust her into a new and challenging open-wheel environment.
Embracing the Challenges of Indy NXT
In October 2024, Hailie participated in her first Indy NXT test with HMD Motorsports at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, eventually signing with the team for the 2025 season. This marked a major shift, with Hailie becoming the only female driver in the lineup following the departure of her teammate Sophia Floersch after the first race of the season. The transition means Hailie now stands alone as the sole woman racing in Indy NXT for most of the year, carrying the weight of representation for female racers.
Hailie’s experience before this move had been strictly with stock cars, and she had no open-wheel background until her late 2024 foray into Formula Regional Americas Championship events and Indy NXT testing. Indy NXT cars, known for their greater speeds compared to the stock cars she once piloted, pushed her out of her comfort zone and into new territory.
A Father’s Worries and the Demands of Racing
The risks of racing at high speeds have amplified the worries of her father, who recognizes the dangers inherent in open-wheel cars traveling over 190 miles per hour. In an honest reflection about seeing his daughter compete at this level, Brian Deegan shared:
“It is nerve-racking. It’s scary. She’s racing an open-wheel race car at 190 miles per hour. Whether you’re in the front or the back, you’re still in a race car going that fast. It’s still dangerous! That part kind of makes me nervous, but I think as long as she enjoys it, I think it’s one shot at it, you know? She’s still real good with it,” the 51-year-old said via RACER.
—Brian Deegan, Father
Hailie’s entry into her rookie season has proven difficult. She often begins each race weekend at the back of the grid, finishing in similar positions, reflecting the steep learning curve she faces. Nevertheless, her performances are marked by discipline, as evidenced by her clean driving record—apart from an unavoidable incident during a 10-car pile-up at the Detroit GP, she has steered clear of major mishaps across seven races.
The Road Ahead for Hailie Deegan
Hailie Deegan’s Indy NXT transition stands as a bold move, contrasting with the more established path in the F1 Academy sought by other talented female racers. Despite the initial setbacks, her steady progress, resilience under pressure, and commitment in a challenging discipline have already earned recognition. With only her on the HMD Motorsports roster as a female competitor, she sets a visible example, and her father’s concerns highlight both the emotional and physical challenges in elite motorsport. As the 2025 season unfolds, all eyes will be on Hailie to see whether her persistence in open-wheel racing translates into breakthrough results and inspires a new generation of drivers.
