By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer
Ford Performance gained another top prospect as they have signed Hailie Deegan to a multi-year driver development deal.
Deegan will drive the No. 4 Monster Energy Ford Fusion full-time for DGR-Crosley in the ARCA Menards Series and compete in select Michelin Pilot Challenge IMSA races in a Ford Mustang GT. She will make her debut behind the wheel of a Ford at the Daytona International Speedway road course on Jan. 24.
In two years of NASCAR competition, Deegan has 38 combined starts in the ARCA Menards Series East and West (formerly NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West). In 2018, she became the first woman to win in the series at Meridian Speedway. Deegan followed that up with two more victories in 2019.
Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports explained that as a company, Ford Performance looks for winners:
“We want to have the best drivers at all levels of motor sports and it’s very important to get into the drivers when they’re young and to develop them, to prepare them for the top level of the sport. We want drivers that are going to go out there and win.
“And from the first day that we met Hailie, it was very clear, even before we met her, that she is out there to compete and to win. When we did sit down with her, that’s all she wants to do, what she wants to be in the cars, to be in the simulator. She wants to be learning and growing. For us this was a perfect match from the beginning.”
In total the Temecula, Calif. native has a combined 13 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes in ARCA East and West. Deegan also has five pole positions. One of those top-10s came in her only start with DGR-Crosley to date.
Deegan has six total starts in ARCA Menards Series competition. She earned one top-five and four top-10s. Deegan was on route to earn top-10s in all six races until she was involved in an accident in her debut and suffered an oil leak with 10 laps to go at Madison International Speedway.
“At the end of the day it’s really cool to be a part of Ford’s push to get that lower level racing, developing drivers,” Deegan stated. “It’s really cool that they’re pairing with DGR-Crosley now. I get to be a part of that, such a great team, great program that David (Gilliland)’s put together.
“I’m just super excited to be a part of the family. My dad was a Ford driver back in the day racing rally cars, off-road trucks, so I’m definitely used to everyone here. It’s almost like coming back to something that is already a part of.”
Prior to Hailie Deegan’s foray into stockcars, her father, Brian Deegan, competed for Ford in rally cars and rallycross for Olsbergs MSE and Chip Ganassi Racing. In a Ford, he won a Gold Medal in rallycross at the 2011 X-Games and a Bronze Medal in rally car racing in 2012.
“I’d say back when I started racing, my dad was kind of the one paying for it, Hailie Deegan explained. “It was off-road racing and all that came from Ford and its funding from there, and how much they were involved with him, which was a lot. I’ve known everyone here for a long time. My dad’s manager have a good relationship with everyone here, so it definitely wasn’t something new.”
Brian Deegan has guided his daughter throughout her career. Despite the bulk of his experience coming from motocross, off-road trucks, and rallycross, he does have some stock car experience. In 2010, he made three super late model starts at the Irwindale Event Center with two top-10 finishes.
Hailie Deegan was excited at the thought of racing against her father, but thought it would be unlikely:
“That’d be crazy to my dad race me in stock cars. I knew he tried racing stock cars a while ago, back years and years ago. I think I was like 10 years old. He did some super late model races. So, he knows a gist of NASCAR. He knows what the cars is handle like. And so that helps a lot with my racing. But I don’t foresee him getting in a stock car anytime soon.”
Meanwhile Brian Deegan was open to the idea, but believed that his daughter would have the upper hand:
“Kevin Harvick has been telling me that I have to race against her. I’d love to be able to do it, maybe talk to Monster Energy, maybe compete in the truck at Eldora. But I think she’d smoke me; I’m getting slower as I get older.”
While it was announced that Hailie would compete in ARCA and IMSA competition, possible NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series races will depend on sponsorship and her progression.