Hailie Deegan burst into the NASCAR world with some serious hype. She had already made her name in ARCA after finishing third with DGR-Crosley in 2020. Her thriving YouTube channel and a devoted fanbase made her one of the sport’s most marketable young drivers. Now, in an industry dominated by men, she was a breath of fresh air, breaking the barriers and proving the naysayers wrong. But for all the fanfare and hype, her results didn’t match the expectations.

In her three seasons in the Truck Series, Deegan failed to break into the top five, but finished as high as sixth at Talladega Superspeedway and Texas Motor Speedway. And, despite her underwhelming reasons, strong sponsorship backing helped her progress into the Xfinity Series with AM Racing in 2024. Still, the results went from bad to worse.

With not a single top-10 in 17 races. That was enough for the No. 15 team to part ways with the California-native, who has been plying her trade in the Indy NXT since then. But with rumors circulating about a potential Truck Series return in 2026, there’s one big question that remains on everyone’s lips.

Will Deegan finally fulfill her potential if Bill McAnally does take the gamble and take her on board?

Here’s the investment so far

Hailie Deegan has never been short of backers. She has had the opportunities other drivers can’t even dream of, simply because of her marketing appeal and off-track presence. Sure, Hailie has impressed on some occasions, like getting three wins in the K&N Pro Series West, but it’s her off-track presence that gives her the funding from corporate partners. But despite the support, her results haven’t matched up to the equipment at her disposal, both in the Truck and Xfinity Series.

Deegan’s stint at AM Racing was particularly disappointing.

• 17 starts, no top-five or top-ten results
• An average finish of nearly 27th.

Sure, it was Deegan’s rookie campaign, and there is a significant learning curve coming from the Truck Series. But in a results-oriented industry that features only a handful of female drivers to begin with, patience was always going to run thin despite the type of sponsors backing her ride. It didn’t help that she didn’t perform even on par with other inexperienced drivers on the grid.

However, Hailie Deegan has struck gold when it comes to sponsorships. Ford has backed her all the way since the very start, supporting her right from the development program to ARCA and into the national series. Monster Energy has also been a prominent partner, using its strong social media presence on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram to reach out to younger audiences.

As for NASCAR, they’ve cashed in on her presence in the sport to highlight female representation. But strong branding can only take you so far. The question that still remains is, how long can a driver occupy a competitive seat, especially when their off-track impact far exceeds their achievements in the racecar?

The performance ledger

It’s fair to say that results have been hard to come by for Hailie Deegan. While she proved she can win races and maintain her composure under pressure in the K&N Pro Series West, her stint at Bill McAnally Racing wasn’t replicated as she climbed the stock car racing ladder.

She didn’t break into the top five in the ARCA Menards Series East, despite running part-time over three years. And while she notched up some pretty consistent top-10 finishes in the ARCA Menards Series for DGR-Crosley, Victory Lane continued to elude her.

However, despite the lackluster results, she found herself in the Truck Series in 2021, spending two years at David Gilliland Racing and another at ThorSport Racing. During this time, while she had the occasional top-10 finish, Deegan consistently struggled to climb past mid-pack results. Finishing no higher than 17th in the rankings at the end of the season. But her ‘marketability’ helped Hailie Deegan secure an Xfinity Series berth with AM Racing, but she struggled to perform during the 2024 season.

It was a big contrast from others with similar chances. Christian Eckes at McAnally-Hilgemann Racing secured eight wins across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, with consistent top-five results as well. Even Derek Krause, who participated part-time in the Xfinity Series and just made eight appearances for Kaulig Racing, secured some promising results, while Carson Hocevar proved why he’s being touted as the next ‘Intimidator’ by finishing as high as sixth in NASCAR’s second tier.

So, one can say they came, they performed when it mattered, without all the ‘marketing’ and hype, also raising questions about Hailie Deegan’s ability to adapt to faster cars and provide feedback to her team. While that’s a bit unfair/fair game, the real struggles lie somewhere else.

The opportunity cost of waiting

Hailie Deegan’s struggles in the NASCAR world raise questions about the cost of opportunity. Dedicating seats to ‘prospects’, the risk in the motorsports world, more so in NASCAR, and how she helps in fan engagement, sponsor activation, and represents women in the industry.

But we know every time a driver occupies a seat and doesn’t produce results, they’re also taking away an opportunity from another rising star. And, the female drivers in particular face fewer opportunities, and if those chances aren’t taken, it makes it even more difficult for others in the future.

It’s an equally complicated scenario for sponsors. At first glance, the ROI of having Hailie Deegan on board was obvious. But over the long run, that tradeoff became increasingly harder to justify as every team’s marketing budget is allocated in such a way that drivers are expected to deliver both on and off the track, and companies are forced to make a tough decision if either one is compromised.

As for Deegan, it’s all about her reputation. The California-native was once considered one of the hottest prospects in the NASCAR world, and at 24, she still has time to develop. Unfortunately, the narrative surrounding her has already changed, with fans questioning her capability in the stock car racing world. And if this continues, she’ll always be remembered as a ‘brand ambassador’ rather than a racing driver, whose opportunities only came by because of circumstances off the track.

Is McAnally the make-or-break test?

Perhaps that’s why a move to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing could make or break Hailie Deegan’s NASCAR career. The team has a proven track record of developing young talent and has guided drivers like Todd Gilliland, Derek Kraus, and Christian Eckes in the past, helping them become forces to be reckoned with in the Truck Series. Deegan has experience working with Bill McAnally Racing in the ARCA Menards Series East and K&N Pro Series West, and a reunion might be more than just symbolic.

If she can recapture her old form that got her three wins with the No. 19 Toyota, there’s no reason why Hailie Deegan could find her footing in NASCAR again. The expectation won’t be to win a championship, but consistent top-10s, occasional top-fives, and an improvement in qualifying performance will be the bare-minimum expectation.

Considering her ‘brand’, the 24-year-old will need to show she has grown as a racing driver to give her employers some faith that there’s some improvement left in the tank. But if she fails to perform, Deegan will inevitably run out of options in the stock car racing world.

Conclusion – The clock is ticking, and it is loud now

Time is running out for Hailie Deegan. While teams at the lower levels go above and beyond to nurture ‘prospects’, ultimately, it’s up to the drivers to fulfill their potential. Deegan may have a powerful brand presence, but another run like her 2024 campaign will not help her sustain a spot in the Truck Series.

If there’s any truth behind the rumors, 2026 looks less like a comeback and more like a final test. And, if McAnallay-Hilgemann Racing does provide her with the right equipment to perform, perhaps the narrative surrounding her will shift once and for all.