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Hailie Deegan had better back up her recent statements
Hailie Deegan has struggled in her NASCAR Truck Series sophomore season. This week, she met with reporters and discussed the confrontational nature of the lower-tier series, as well as how she is frequently on the receiving end of other drivers’ antagonistic attitudes.
She also issued a statement about her reaction to those instances, which was a significant change from what she said just a month earlier, and if she wants to improve, or more importantly, keep her ride in NASCAR, she needs to listen to her own advice.
Hailie Deegan admits to being used and explains why she hasn’t retaliated
Hailie Deegan is aware that some Truck Series drivers do not respect her just because she is a woman.
It’s clear when she gets involved in a strange event virtually every week.
She went on the Door, Bumper, Clear podcast only last month and discussed why she’s been involved in many disputes with other drivers since being on the scene.
“I feel like we get taken advantage of a lot, but I also get extremely stirred up when someone does anything to me.”
“I believe it’s my father speaking through me,” Deegan said.
“We’ve been in a lot of scenarios where we’ve been destroyed or put in difficult situations.
It could just be our fault that we end up in someone else’s circumstance.
“I think I’ve kept my calm because I know how important it is for me to finish strong.”
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That’s why I don’t retaliate because I don’t want to risk something bad happening to me.
Oh my my, you get a tire rub, and it’s all downhill from there, and that’s something I don’t want to put myself in.”
Deegan claims to be altering her strategy
During a conference call with reporters this week, the 20-year-old discussed the season and provided an unexpected comment when asked about the aggressive driving and her attitude going forward.
It was a 180-degree turn from what she had said a month before.
“It’s insane in the Truck Series,” she stated. “It seems like a lot happens during these races.”
There was a lot of confusion.
I believe it’s difficult to avoid it, and I think that if you don’t stand up for yourself or do what they’re doing to you back, you’ll get run over quickly.
It happens quickly.
I suppose the one thing I’m trying to do more of from now on is race people the way they race me.”
She also mentioned how many sorts of aggression exist, such as Ross Chastain, who is aggressive yet respectful, and younger drivers who can be more irresponsible.
“There are some situations when, like others, say a couple of Truck Series drivers, the second they get to me, they attempt to move you,” Deegan admitted.
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NASCAR is considering intervening
While Deegan stated that she will have to start racing others the same way they race her without regard for the repercussions, she also indicated that NASCAR may step in and minimize some of the dangerous driving.
“I feel like it requires some structure in order to get under control,” she explained.
“I know, at least for myself, if I’m going to go hit somebody, wreck somebody, or whatever if there’s a black flag or some sort of discipline, some repercussion that I could face as a result of it, I’m probably going to decide whether or not to do it, not just do it because you know nothing bad will come of it after.”
“I haven’t seen many people in the Truck Series be fined for what happens on the track.”
It’s frustrating because you wish there were occasions where you could say, ‘Man, I didn’t deserve that.’
I’m just put in these situations, and I know that other drivers are probably feeling the same way.
“I believe the Truck Series needs more discipline and structure.”
Waiting for NASCAR to step in is probably not a good plan for the second-year driver.
It is not likely to happen.
Instead, she’d be better off tossing caution to the wind and letting it all hang out.
She alluded to Ross Chastain.
Take notes from his driving style, which has recently sparked controversy in the Cup Series.
He’s not there to make friends; he’s there to win races.
If Deegan expects to win in the future, she must adjust her thinking, or she will become just another promising driver who drifted away and was never heard from again.
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