Hailie Deegan has been turning heads for years. The post Hailie Deegan’s NASCAR Sabbatical Could Last Forever After Brutal Career Revelation appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Hailie Deegan has left NASCAR behind for open-wheel racing this season and it could be for good. She’s been one of NASCAR’s most marketable drivers but hasn’t had the performance or funding to land a top ride and advance her career.

Hailie Deegan has left the door open for a return to NASCAR after her abrupt exit from AM Racing in 2024. Following her replacement in the team, she later confirmed that she was making the move to Indy NXT in 2025.

Deegan doesn't want to compete in the third-tier Truck Series any longer, and because any opportunities to advance would require cash she doesn't have, she has taken another route: Deegan will drive this year for HMD Motorsports in Indy NXT, which is IndyCar's top development series.

After 17 races with AM Racing, in 2024, Hailie Deegan decided to part ways with the NASCAR Xfinity Series, she joined hands with HMD Motorsports in the Indy NXT series for the 2025 season.