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Hailie Deegan Was Cautiously Aggressive in Debut IndyNXT Race, Finishes 14th at St. Pete

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dylan Spaulding | Last updated Mar 3, 2025 6:34 PM ET

Hailie Deegan was able to avoid any race incidents at St. Pete on Sunday, finishing 14th and staying on the lead lap in her IndyNXT debut. While she wasn’t a threat for the race win, the stock car-turned-open-wheel prospect held her own during her IndyNXT opener and earned valuable seat time in her first race within the series.

Although Deegan will be aiming to compete for race wins as she continues to develop in the series, this opening weekend served as a learning experience for the Temecula, CA native.

“Yeah, I mean, I think it was a fun experience,” Deegan said to FrontStretch.com’s Dalton Hopkins. “I had a blast. I think my goal for this race was to not have huge expectations, especially for this one, just because it’s a street course. I didn’t want to do anything dumb that would hurt the car and cost me track time.

"So, I kind of went into this weekend thinking, okay, 95% cautiously aggressive learning as much as I can. More so, using all the valuable time I could to get experience. Going into it, I knew I was going to be off a little bit here. I’m really looking forward to Barber [Motorsports Park] because I’ve been there before.”

There is no denying that Deegan’s switch to open-wheel racing will be a process, especially compared to the way her NASCAR career played out, where she made a relatively quick rise.

Given her inexperience in this style of racing, HMD’s patience with Deegan will be crucial as they work to develop her into a race-winning threat. With a variety of track types on the schedule throughout the season, Deegan may find success on some of the other circuits, particularly ovals and road courses, which she has experience with from her time in NASCAR.

“This is by far the hardest form of racing I’ve ever been a part of. By ‘hardest’, I mean physically”@HailieDeegan is still getting used to not having power steering in her new Indy NXT role. Says her goal was to not crash and finish on the lead lap, which she did.#INDYCAR… pic.twitter.com/ljt1b2D2xy
— Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT) March 2, 2025

If Deegan can show consistent improvement and strong performances over the next season or two, there is potential for her to make a serious push toward being considered for an IndyCar ride down the line, thanks to her marketability and the talent she possesses.

With the brand-new FOX deal and the opportunities Deegan brings both on and off the track, she could truly become a driver who helps usher in this new era within IndyCar if she reaches the top level.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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