On the heels of her NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut Saturday at Kansas Speedway, Ford Performance announced that Hailie Deegan will run full-time for DGR-Crosley next season starting at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Feb. 12, 2021.
Deegan, 19, competed full-time this season in the ARCA Menards Series where she earned two runner-up finishes in the season-opening race at Daytona and in the penultimate race of the year at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
Her sixth-place finish in Friday night’s Speediatrics 150 ARCA race, helped her clinch Rookie of the Year honors and become the highest finishing female in championship points, finishing third behind champion Bret Holmes and Michael Self.
She earned four top-five and 17 top-10 finishes over 20 races.
Deegan joined the Ford Performance family in December 2019 with a broad scope of racing activities planned. Unfortunately, some of that plan changed due to the nature of 2020, but she has already delivered upon numerous challenges despite the altered seat time.
“I am excited for this next step in my career with Ford Performance,” said Deegan. “I have raced trucks in the off-road world but to now have the opportunity to race trucks next season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a dream come true.
“I have some great partners already behind me for next season. We have a few primaries still available and I hope that we can fill these up in the coming weeks. I can’t wait for Daytona 2021 to get here.”
DGR-Crosley co-team owner David Gilliland says he is happy that their Mooresville, N.C.-based team can be part of her newest motorsports’ endeavors.
“I’ve enjoyed watching Hailie progress in the ARCA Menards Series this season and prepare for the next step in her racing career, moving up to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2021,” said David Gilliland, co-owner, DGR-Crosley.
“I’m happy DGR-Crosley can be part of her learning process as she transitions to the next level of competition and we’re all excited to start prepping for next season with her.”
Deegan also competed in the opening event of the IMSA sports car racing season, sharing the seat of a Mustang GT4 with fellow Ford Performance development driver Chase Briscoe for a flurry of first experiences over the four-hour race.
She also got to experience the power of Ford’s all-electric Mach-E 1400 prototype demonstrator firsthand when she helped publicly unveil the vehicle in July alongside Joey Logano, Ken Block, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Chelsea DeNofa.
Deegan finished 16th in Saturday’s Clean Harbors 200 at Kansas becoming the highest finishing female in their Truck Series debut. She surpassed Johanna Long who finished 17th at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in 2010.
Sponsorship nor a crew chief were named for Deegan.
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