HAILIE DEEGAN Exits Early as Hauger Dominates Portland Indy NXT Round

August 10, 2025

by Bethonie Waring // from formulascout.com

• HAILIE DEEGAN’s Portland weekend ended in disappointment with an early retirement for HMD Motorsports, marking another setback in what’s been a challenging Indy NXT campaign. While the article doesn’t detail the specific cause of her DNF, it highlights the ongoing struggles we’ve seen from the series’ most high-profile female driver this season.
• The race itself was dominated by Dennis Hauger’s masterful opening lap maneuver, where he pulled off a brilliant double-pass to take the lead from the third starting position. Hauger’s championship lead extends with just two races remaining, while his teammate Lochie Hughes suffered early damage but managed to salvage points with a 10th-place recovery drive.
• With DEEGAN absent from the finishing order, the women’s representation in Indy NXT continues to face visibility challenges. Her early exit means we lose another opportunity to see how she stacks up against the championship contenders in what’s shaping up to be a crucial final stretch of the season.

championship series, hmd motorsports, indy nxt, portland international raceway