HAILIE DEEGAN Tackles Toughest Racing Yet in Indy NXT St. Petersburg Debut

March 2, 2025

by Samson Ero // from www.sportskeeda.com

• HAILIE DEEGAN made her Indy NXT debut at St. Petersburg with HMD Motorsports, finishing 14th in what she called “by far the hardest form of racing” she’s ever experienced. The 23-year-old approached her first open-wheel race with calculated caution, prioritizing experience over results while adapting to racing without power steering—a major shift from her NASCAR background.
• The physical demands of IndyCar caught DEEGAN off guard, as she emphasized the need to intensify her gym routine to handle the grueling nature of open-wheel competition. She came in with realistic expectations for the street course debut, focusing on gaining valuable experience rather than chasing an aggressive result that could damage the car.
• While DEEGAN struggled in her transition, she hasn’t closed the door on NASCAR, admitting she’d return “if a couple million dollars falls into my lap.” Her candid take on NASCAR’s financial barriers shows the reality many drivers face—even with wins in K&N Pro Series West, ARCA, and NASCAR K&N Pro Series, securing competitive rides requires deep sponsorship pockets that often determine careers more than talent.

hmd motorsports, indy nxt, open-wheel racing, st. petersburg grand prix