HAILIE DEEGAN Struggles Continue with 11th-Place Run at Phoenix ARCA West

March 6, 2026

• HAILIE DEEGAN’s reset story continues with mixed results as she trades her disappointing Indy NXT campaign for a return to NASCAR’s ladder system. After finishing 14th in Indy standings without a single top-10, the 24-year-old landed with Bill McAnally Racing for a full ARCA Menards Series West season, opening with a respectable sixth at Kern Raceway before stumbling to 11th at Phoenix.
• The Phoenix weekend exposed the setup struggles that have become Deegan’s calling card – she spent most of the race a lap down fighting a loose car that never found its sweet spot. While teammate Mason Massey grabbed headlines winning his series debut at Kern, Deegan’s own restart got shuffled from fifth to eighth, setting the tone for a season where timing and execution remain elusive.
• We’re watching a driver search for the magic formula that made her a rising star before the Xfinity years derailed her momentum. Deegan’s honest post-race assessment about needing more cautions and wholesale setup changes shows she understands the problems – the question is whether this ARCA West stint becomes the confidence rebuild she desperately needs or another chapter in a career still looking for its breakthrough moment.

arca menards series west, bill mcanally racing, chevrolet, phoenix raceway