AM Racing benched full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor and Rookie of the Year contender Hailie Deegan from its No. 15 Ford Mustang entry in favor of Joey Logano, a NASCAR Cup Series regular, for this past weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 110 at the Chicago Street Course.
At the time, AM Racing announced that Logano would be sliding into the car at Chicago to help the team assess its program so the team could potentially build more strength in the second half of the season. But the announcement did not mention when Deegan would return to the track, which led to speculation about the 22-year-old driver’s future with the team.
On Monday morning, Deegan confirmed in a statement shared on her social media accounts that she and the team have officially parted ways, citing that her goals and the team’s goals, “No longer align.”
“Beginning this season, I had a lot of excitement and hope in taking my next step in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” Deegan said in the statement. “It’s something I’ve been working towards for years and always dreamt about. I worked hard to prepare for this season after the team pursued me to drive their car. Unfortunately, it has not turned out the way that I expected. There are always several reasons within a race team as to why things do or do not work, but sadly our goals no longer align. With that being said, myself and AM Racing will be parting ways.”
Deegan continued, “The only thing I am focused on is getting back to being competitive. That is ALL that matters to me. I’m working as quick as possible to find the best opportunities to get back to the track. I’m thankful for the following that I have and everyone who supports me, it’s truly only me that knows the whole story and what I need to succeed.”
The team issued its own statement as well, where they thanked Deegan for her contributions to the team, and they hope for the best for Deegan in the future.
“AM Racing and Hailie Deegan have decided to part ways, effective immediately. We are grateful for Hailie’s contributions and dedication as the driver of the No. 15 Ford Mustang during her time with the race team. We wish Hailie the best in her future endeavors and look forward to her continued success on and off the track,” the statement from the team read.
The AM Racing team recorded an eighth-place finish with Logano behind the wheel of its No. 15 Ford Mustang this weekend at Chicago, the first top-10 finish of the year for the organization.
Deegan a three-time winner of what is now known as the ARCA Menards Series West, has struggled to find her footing in the NASCAR National Series. In three full-time seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the native of Temecula, California had only recorded five top-10 finishes, and had a best points ranking of 17th, which came in her rookie season.
After finishing 13th in her NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022, there was hope that Deegan could turn her career around with a move to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time with AM Racing in 2024. That hasn’t quite panned out as Deegan had an average finish of 26.8 in her 17 starts with the team, and she had just two top-15 finishes, a 12th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway and a 15th-place effort at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
All eyes will be on Deegan as she seeks her next driving opportunity.
