"I did get really lucky": When Hailie Deegan thanked 'coach' Nolan Siegel for helping in her first open-wheel race after NASCAR exit

Hailie Deegan, the Indy NXT driver, applauded the efforts of 'coach' Nolan Siegel back in the day. The former thanked the Arrow McLaren racing driver for helping her prepare for her first hit out in an open-wheel race post-NASCAR exit.

In November 2024, Hailie Deegan made her debut in Formula Regional Americas for the Tony Driver Development team at the famous Circuit of the Americas. As a result, Deegan put a halt to her career in stock car racing after the end of the 2024 Tennessee Lottery 250 (Nashville) that took place on June 29.

During her maiden Formula Regional America's race weekend, she took the time to vlog some of the things and even thanked Nolan Siegel for his efforts in preparing her for the world of open-wheel racing. Via her official YouTube channel, she said [3:20 onwards]:

"I did get really lucky this race, so Nathan, who owns this team and is doing this race with us, his driver that he crewed last year at the beginning of the year was Nolan Siegel. So, he's out here, he races IndyCar full-time, and he is out here helping me look at the data, coach me, so I definitely have like one of the best coaches I feel like in the pits right now, so that does help."

Hailie Deegan managed a P11 finish in Round 1 of the Formula Regional Americas race at COTA. In Round 2, she managed a P10 finish.

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Hailie Deegan's take on 2025 switch to Indy NXT

While Hailie Deegan took the time to show her appreciation for Nolan Siegel back in the day, in October last year, she also shed light on her ongoing stint in Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports. She made her debut in the series at the 2025 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (March 2) and managed a P14 finish.

"I am excited about the opportunity and look forward to working with a proven program in HMD Motorsports. I have much to learn, but I am ready to go. The team brings a wealth of knowledge for me to pull from, and I look forward to soaking up as much of that as possible before my race debut next March in St. Petersburg" Deegan said on October 14, 2024, via Indy NXT.

The ongoing Indy NXT is seven rounds down, and Hailie Deegan is currently in 19th place in the standings with 94 points. She is yet to score a top-five or a top-ten finish.

Next up on the Indy NXT race calendar is the Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio. The three-day event will kick off on July 4th, with the main race slated to take place on the 6th.