Ford Signs NASCAR Prospect Hailie Deegan
Big news in the NASCAR world. Hailie Deegan has been taken away from Toyota by Ford.
SOURCE-Ford Performance announced Tuesday the addition of Hailie Deegan to its driver development program, ensuring that the next steps of the rising star’s stock-car racing career will be made with the automaker’s backing.
The groundwork for that progression was spelled out in the mid-December announcement, with Deegan slated for a full 20-race season in the ARCA Menards Series, plus select sports-car events in a Mustang GT4 in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Her ARCA schedule will be contested with the DGR-Crosley organization, which made its own switch to Ford last Wednesday.
This is a big pick up for Ford. Deegan is a budding star in NASCAR after winning 2 races this past year and she just turned 18.
The thought is that Deegan shouldn't rush up in competition. She hasn't led for more than 50 laps in any race and both of her wins this year were via the last lap passes. She currently races in the K&N Pro Series. Her next step is to move up to trucks and then Xfinity before ultimately getting up to the Cup. The goal is to see Deegan on the Cup in 2022 or 2023.
