NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Hailie Deegan’s team AM Racing recently announced the 22-year-old driver’s absence from the Chicago Street Race weekend this Saturday. With the junior nationwide series slated to run at the 2.2-mile-long street course in Windy City this Saturday, Deegan will not be seen behind the wheel of the #15 Ford Mustang.
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Instead, 2-time Cup Series champion and Team Penske driver Joey Logano will be at the helm of AM Racing’s entry this weekend. Former NASCAR Xfinity Series regular and 9-time winner Kenny Wallace recently reacted to the same news and gave his opinion on how things are tuning out for the Temecula, California native.
Wallace opined how Deegan’s Xfinity Series career is nearing its end and said on social media, “Hailie’s on her last leg. I’m a big fan of her but any time those teams go ‘We’re going to put Joey Logano in the car to evaluate our equipment,’ that means she’s gone. I hate that for her.”
Joey Logano in the Xfinity Series car usually driven by Hailie Deegan this weekend so the team can evaluate its equipment and performance parameters. https://t.co/iQa1rNPyic pic.twitter.com/7rYnpUEzQV
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) July 1, 2024
Deegan’s performances in her rookie Xfinity Series season have left a lot to be desired, hence the reason for the fraternity’s conjecture of her leaving her team. The current season has seen the #15 Ford Mustang driver start 17 races with no top 5 and top 10 appearances yet.
She also has only four top-20 appearances this year, with her average starting position sitting at 29.0, followed by an average finishing position of 26.8.
Rumors surround Hailie Deegan leaving AM Racing’s #15 NASCAR Xfinity entry
With the current state of affairs at AM Racing and Hailie Deegan‘s general lack of performance, rumors have surrounded the team as to whether she will be continuing with the team going forward or not.
Social Media caught on to how the 22-year-old has removed AM Racing from her bio on X (formerly Twitter), which might suggest a susceptible divorce of the team and driver. Fans also latched on to how Joey Logano addressed his opportunity to drive in the Xfinity Series for AM Racing’s #15 entry, hinting towards the same.
“The seat opened up”. Did @HailieDeegan walk away? #NASCAR https://t.co/HxkGArkVJf
— NASCAR Prophecy (@nascarprophecy) July 4, 2024
It remains to be seen whether these rumors come true and Hailie Deegan goes back to finding her feet in the junior Truck Series once again.