Hailie Deegan possible NASCAR return is making headlines as reports emerge that she may be heading back to stock car racing after a difficult freshman year in the Indy NXT series. The 24-year-old Californian, with strong roots in stock car competition, recently completed her first season in the IndyCar development ranks with HMD Motorsports, igniting speculation about her next move.
Challenges Faced in Her Rookie IndyCar Season
Deegan transitioned to open-wheel racing for the 2025 campaign, but her first season with HMD Motorsports proved to be a struggle. Despite entering with high expectations given her previous NASCAR experience, she found it tough to deliver the results many hoped for. Over 16 races, Deegan was unable to secure a top-10 finish, achieving her highest placement at the Laguna Seca round in California, a track familiar to the West Coast native. Even on ovals, which should have been a strength given her NASCAR background, her best effort was a 13th-place finish at the Grand Prix in Nashville, falling short of her and her team‘s ambitions.
With no clear plans announced for her 2026 season, rumors have grown about her contemplating a return to stock car racing. Deegan has yet to comment publicly on her next steps, and while staying in IndyCar remains an option, her future is far from settled. As speculation heightens, many in the racing world closely watch for her decision, especially since she left NASCAR just a year ago.
Financial Barriers and Reflections on Leaving NASCAR
During her exit from NASCAR, Deegan spoke candidly about the obstacles she faced, focusing on funding and sponsorship difficulties as key reasons for stepping away. As someone who was named the ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year in 2020, she found it increasingly challenging to secure the necessary backing to race competitively in NASCAR.
“I’m not actively trying to look for a ride or anything, but if a couple million dollars falls in my lap, awesome. Same thing for everybody. Not many opportunities come unless you got deep pockets. I think a lot of people fail to realise that on the NASCAR side of things, it is such a crazy number. So if $6 million to run for a quality Xfinity team just came out of nowhere, fell off a tree, for sure I’d do it.”
—Hailie Deegan, Former NASCAR Driver
She addressed the significant cuts to sponsorship budgets and the challenge of convincing sponsors of the return on their investment as another huge hurdle:
“But the reality of things is in this economy right now, sponsorship and marketing budgets have been cut. It makes it a lot tougher. It’s already tough to find money to go racing.”
—Hailie Deegan, Former NASCAR Driver
“It’s hard to say to a sponsor, ‘You spend a couple 100 grand for this race, you’re going to get your value.’ You can’t promise that to people. So it’s very tough from that side. Obviously, I would have loved to run Xfinity full-time, but in a good car. The reality of that is, it takes a lot of sponsorship to do that,”
she added.
—Hailie Deegan, Former NASCAR Driver
Between her 2018 debut and the 2024 season, Deegan competed in numerous forms of stock car racing such as the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. Her shift to the IndyCar pathway was a calculated risk, but raising adequate sponsorship for high-level participation in NASCAR remained out of reach at the time.
What the Future Might Hold for Deegan’s Racing Career
With the completion of her first Indy NXT season, speculation about Hailie Deegan possible NASCAR return is intensifying. As rumors circulate, her next move could become a major talking point in both stock car and open-wheel circles, just as it was when she first announced her switch. Her decision will likely hinge on whether she can secure the necessary financial backing and find a competitive opportunity that aligns with her aspirations, especially amid a challenging economy and shifting sponsorship landscape.
The coming months may reveal whether Deegan follows through with an IndyCar return or accepts an offer that could bring her back to NASCAR, a series where she initially made her mark. Her career trajectory exemplifies the financial and competitive pressures present in professional motorsports, leaving many to speculate about her path forward in a dynamic and unpredictable racing environment.
