HAILIE DEEGAN Retires Early as Hauger Claims Sixth Victory at Portland

August 10, 2025

by Bethonie Waring // from formulascout.com

• HAILIE DEEGAN’s Portland weekend ended in disappointment with a DNF for HMD Motorsports, marking another frustrating result in what’s been a challenging debut Indy NXT season. While the specifics of her retirement weren’t detailed, Deegan joins the growing list of drivers who couldn’t complete the 35-lap distance on a day that saw multiple incidents.
• The race itself showcased the brutal reality of open-wheel racing, with a first-lap incident creating chaos that caught multiple drivers including championship contender Lochie Hughes. Dennis Hauger capitalized on the mayhem to execute a brilliant double pass and never looked back, extending his championship lead to 54 points over Caio Collet with just two races remaining.
• For women’s racing fans tracking DEEGAN’s progress, this DNF represents another setback in her transition from NASCAR to open-wheel competition. The former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver continues working to find her footing in a completely different racing discipline, though results like this remind us why patient development matters more than immediate success in such a technical series.

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