Hailie Deegan isn’t taking part in it protected as she is ready to make her return to NASCAR with a daring mission, and that’s to problem Danica Patrick’s long-held grip on NASCAR historical past
For greater than a decade, Danica Patrick has been the one girl to have discovered a lot success in NASCAR. The 24-year previous is formally returning to her roots, confirming she’s going to pilot the No.16 Chevrolet within the ARCA Menards Collection West. However what’s extra spectacular is the objective she has set for her 2026 season. Whereas taking just a few notes from Patrick’s pocket book can be useful, Deegan is busy charting out her personal formidable path.
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Talking on her YouTube channel, Hailie Deegan sounded extra decided than ever.
“Clearly, the championship is on my thoughts,” “I really feel prefer it’s a year-long battle, however relating to these sorts of smaller targets that I’ve, extra short-term ones, is to win 4 races. It’d be actually cool to be the primary feminine to win a NASCAR championship. So that may be large for me.”
To be the primary feminine champion in NASCAR would undoubtedly be a dream come true, and it will particularly imply surpassing what has managed to realize within the male-dominated sport.
Danica Patrick has shattered limitations all through her racing profession by reaching a number of historic firsts that no girl had earlier than in NASCAR.
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In 2013, she grew to become the primary girl ever to win a pole place within the NASCAR Cup Collection by setting the quickest lap and qualifying for the Daytona 500, a feat that marked the best start line for a feminine driver and NASCAR’s premier division.
That very same 12 months at Daytona, she additionally grew to become the primary girl to guide laps, guiding her automotive to the entrance of the sphere and ending it, the perfect consequence by a girl in that race’s historical past on the time.
On NASCAR, Patrick’s trailblazing prolonged to open-wheel racing as properly. Earlier in her profession, she grew to become the primary girl to guide laps within the Indianapolis 500 and went on to turn into the primary girl to win a serious IndyCar race, triumphing on the Indy 300 in 2008.
Nonetheless, a championship has at all times been out of her grass and that’s the place Hailie Deegan steps in. desires to realize the identical and extra. Nonetheless, it can require a variety of follow and much more endurance.
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Deegan’s NASCAR journey has been removed from clean crusing. After a , the 24-year-old struggled to get on NASCAR seat.
She was racing for HMD Motorsports within the 2025 Indy NXT season. However the California native, who’s unable to carry out her greatest and ended her stint within the sequence with a P14 end within the drivers’ championship, is a far cry from what she anticipated.
Furthermore, she was hosted from her Xfinity seat unexpectedly in 2024. It undoubtedly left her with a variety of remorse.
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 29: Hailie Deegan 15 AM Racing AirBox Ford appears to be like on throughout follow for the operating of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Xfinity Collection Tennessee Lottery 250 on June 29, 2024, at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, TN. Picture by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUN 29 NASCAR Xfinity Collection Tennessee Lottery 250 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon240629501
Over 69 truck sequence begins, Deegan managed simply 5 prime 10 finishes. Our convention took one other hit after a troublesome 2025 season in IndyCar. Nonetheless, she shouldn’t be performed but. Deegan is able to reset and rebuild, and he or she has chosen to do it when she first program ourselves, again within the ARCA West Collection.
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Deegan has proven she will be able to win within the NASCAR decrease division. She captured three ARCA West victories in 2018, 2019, and 2020. She ran a season within the sequence, ending third within the standings regardless of profitable that 12 months.
And now along with her résumé and grit, a championship could not appear too far, however solely time will inform if she achieves the last word objective.
Deegan’s return to is a headline-making transfer that has thrust her again into the highlight, and the demo couldn’t be happier.
Invoice McAnally welcomes Hailie Deegan with open arms
A choice to return to the ARCA Collection is a serious growth, and it may very well be the analysis she must rebuild momentum. Extra importantly, Invoice McAnally was fast to precise his pleasure concerning the 24-year-old becoming a member of the lineup and what it means for the 2026 plans.
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For McAnally, bringing Deegan again looks like returning to a well-known chapter. He spoke fondly of their previous partnership, highlighting the success they shared within the bins they collected alongside the best way.
He additionally made it clear that her return would increase the workforce’s championship hope particularly with Mason Massey additionally competing for the title.
“Having Hailie again on our workforce is extremely particular. We loved working collectively a number of years in the past and gained some races,” he mentioned. “I see the dedication she has for competing at this stage, and we need to be a part of her success. She has the data of profitable out West, and we’ve got a fantastic likelihood to chase our twelfth title along with her and Mason Massey within the fold.”
With 2026 on the horizon, Deegan’s return additionally highlights the rising presence of girls in a historically male-dominated sport. Extra feminine drivers competing on the highest ranges of inventory automotive racing not solely push the game to larger equality but in addition add new rivalries and recent power to the observe. Her comeback might encourage different ladies to chase their very own NASCAR goals and show that success in racing shouldn’t be restricted by gender.
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