By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer
Up and coming driver Hailie Deegan will make her NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut at Kansas Speedway.
Ford Performance and DGR-Crosley Tweeted the announcement Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, the NASCAR crew roster for the Clean Harbors 200, showed that Deegan will drive the No. 17 Ford F-150 for DGR-Crosley. The organization recently acquired the Owner Points from All Out Motorsports to use for the No. 17 team.
“I’m super excited to announce that I will be running the Truck race at Kansas Speedway,” explained Deegan. “Ford will be the sponsor of my truck. Honestly, I wasn’t even planning on running Trucks this year, but in order to qualify for the races I want to run in the future, I have to run this race. It’s definitely going to be hard, challenging. I think our goal will be just to finish the race.”
It’s gonna be a big step for me. First time in the truck will be taking the green flag with no practice. Goal is to just finish the race! Can’t thank everyone enough for the support🙌 @FordPerformance @Ford pic.twitter.com/6K7BHwb6I1
— Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) October 7, 2020
Deegan is coming off a runner-up finish in the Illinois Truck & Equipment Allen Crowe 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. She has competed full-time in the ARCA Menards Series for DGR this season. The driver of the No. 4 Monster Energy Ford Fusion currently sits third in the points standings.
In total, the 19-year-old has five top-five finishes in 25 career ARCA starts with 20 top-10s. Deegan has a best career finish of second, twice.
As part of her Ford Performance Driver Development program, Deegan also competed in IMSA competition.
Prior to joining Ford in 2020, the Temecula, Calif. native competed for Toyota Racing Development in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (now ARCA Menards Series West). During her time in the K&N Pro Series, Deegan earned three victories. In 28 career starts she earned 13 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes, as well as five pole positions. Her best points finish in the series was third.
DGR’s No. 17 Ford F-150 has four starts in 2020 with one top-10 finish at Richmond Raceway with David Ragan. Deegan will be the fourth driver to drive the team’s No. 17, joining Ragan, Dylan Lupton, and Korbin Forrister. The full-time driver for DGR-Crosley, Tanner Gray, has four top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 2020.
Deegan’s debut at Kansas Speedway is scheduled for October 17. Her debut comes in a historic third race at Kansas in a single season. 2020 marks the first time that the Truck Series will visit any track three times in a single season.
Photo by NKP / NKP Photo
