Questions are intensifying regarding Hailie Deegan Indy NXT performance criticism as fans across the IndyCar community voice their frustrations over her persistent placement at the back of the grid. Since joining the top level of the IndyCar junior ladder with HMD Motorsports in 2025, the former NASCAR star has struggled to keep pace or deliver visible progress, leaving many supporters doubting her future in the series.
Slow Qualification and Race Results Feed Growing Frustration
Deegan entered the Indy NXT series with minimal open-wheel racing experience, a factor contributing to her notable gap from the rest of the competitors. Regularly qualifying at the very end of the field each race weekend, she has often maintained that last position until the checkered flag, with exceptions only when drivers ahead are sidelined by crashes or technical failures. At the recent Indy NXT Grand Prix at Road America, Deegan qualified in 19th, the very last place on the grid, and made negligible progress during the 20-lap race, only moving up one spot due to Jordan Missig suffering race-altering front wing damage and falling to the rear after an unscheduled pit stop.
Addressing her recent outing at Road America, Deegan shared her experiences through a YouTube vlog, acknowledging her challenges at the unfamiliar Wisconsin circuit:
“Obviously not the best day. But I feel like for this place somewhere I’ve never been before, I don’t think I’ve watched a race here (laughs) prior to this weekend. So made a little improvement. Still need a little bit more.”
While some viewers appreciated her candor and the behind-the-scenes race coverage, a majority voiced deep concern about her ongoing lack of competitiveness, with one fan expressing disappointment in her inability to maintain mid-field pace:
“This is getting painful to watch…. not expecting wins, top fives, or tens… just at least be able to hang on to the pack at least,” wrote one fan.
Deegan’s admission about unfamiliarity with Road America received sharp criticism from parts of her fanbase. Another commenter highlighted expectations regarding preparation and commitment:
“The fact Hailey said “I don’t even think I’ve watched a race here.” Is Crazy . I’m seriously rooting for her but she needs to take this seriously if she wants to be good. She needs to treat it as a full time job watching previous races,seat time in the simulator clocking off thousands of laps working with trainers and going over data . Maybe I’m missing that in these vids but just that statement it very telling.”
Sentiment among longtime followers appeared to be one of deepening exasperation. Several comments called out a perceived lack of full dedication to her motorsports career:
“Been following her for years…Unfortunately like all the other series she’s raced in, She doesn’t dedicate 110% to racing which you have to do at that age. And the power of Positivity would help tremendously also”
Another fan who tracked Deegan’s journey through the NASCAR Truck Series and subsequent stints in Xfinity and SRX lamented what they perceived as a regression:
“I’m so done with Hailee Deegan just tired of watching her not being competitive. The last time I saw her compete was in the truck series and then the SRX series. Xfinity was a step backwards last year and going to Indiana. NXT was two more steps backwards. I think she needs to get back to her roots which is dirt track racing, and stop this nonsense.”
Other blunt reviews from the fan community cited her persistently poor performances and highlighted the current level of dissatisfaction:
“At least your consistent, not in a good way,” one fan wrote.
“I was there, she was basically last the entire race,” shared another.
“Starts last finishes last unless someone wrecks out and she another place by default,” wrote another user.
Deegan’s current championship position underlines the depth of these concerns: she is ranked 19th in the 2025 Indy NXT standings, trailing every other full-time driver who has competed in all seven events thus far for the HMD Motorsports squad.
Marginal Gains Fail to Satisfy amid Ongoing Struggles
Despite finishing the Road America Grand Prix in 18th position, Deegan ended up more than 85 seconds behind her teammate, race winner Caio Collet, and over 43 seconds adrift of Tommy Smith in 17th. Struggling to keep within reach of the main field, Deegan did, however, report some progress relative to her previous sessions:
“Pretty non-eventful race. It was green the entire time. No wrecks, no caution, nothing. Learned a lot throughout the race. I cut the gap I was… like how my time off the leader’s time, I cut it in half compared to what I was in practice, for qualifying. So made some big improvements there,” she said on the YouTube VLOG.
While Deegan viewed these smaller performance gains as a positive takeaway, the broader and more vocal sections of the fanbase remain unmoved, as the lack of consistent parity with the rest of the field continues to attract scrutiny and doubt about her readiness for this level of competition.
What Awaits Next for Deegan in Indy NXT?
Deegan is set to continue her campaign with HMD Motorsports at the upcoming Indy NXT Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio, scheduled from July 4 to 6. With her struggles on road courses fresh in the minds of fans and critics alike, each new event will amplify the call for measurable improvement. Her ongoing battle for relevance in the fiercely competitive Indy NXT grid has become a key topic among motorsport fans, with her performance under the microscope and her racing future facing increased uncertainty.
As hard as she tries, the open wheel cars are simply not something she is comfortable with based on her lack of speed and overall competitiveness. These cars are all about last minute brake zone timing, corner grip and driver reflexes She needs to back away from the marketing hype she has encountered much of her career and get back to doing what she feels comfortable and capable with before she’s relegated to the “Hailee who” conversation.