Hailie Deegan navigates social fame with NASCAR ambitions
By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
Hailie Deegan heads into the final Truck Series race of the year Friday night without plans for 2023 announced. Deegan is the only full-time female driver in NASCAR. She’s a Ford development driver and has spent the last two seasons in NASCAR’s third-tier national series racing trucks for David Gilliland. But Gilliland is moving his program to Toyota next season, and even though Deegan started her career with Toyota, there’s no spot for her in the move. Ford says it is trying to place Deegan for next season. The 21-year-old, meanwhile, uses social media to attract the sponsorship to continue her career.