Hailie Deegan attends NASCAR's Kansas playoff race on special fan assignment

Indy NXT star Hailie Deegan took to the Kansas Speedway hours ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race. The 24-year-old took to the social media platform Instagram and uploaded stories about her arrival in Kansas for a special fan assignment.

Hailie Deegan is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Craftsman Truck Series and the Xfinity Series. The motorsport sensation is the daughter of Motocross and Supercross legend Brian Deegan, and began racing on dirt in the LOORRS before moving to race on tarmac.

She raced in the NASCAR K&N series and the ARCA Menards before making the step to race in the Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series. However, after the end of the 2024 season, Deegan decided to make the step to make the American open wheel racing series switch and joined HMS Motorsports in the Indy NXT series.

The NASCAR driver arrived at the Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET. The race will be the 31st race of the season, and the second race of the Round of 12 playoffs, and will take place on September 28.

Deegan arrived at the Kansas Speedway ahead of the Cup Series race as part of her partnership with Idahoan Foods. The 24-year-old was present on track at 12:30 PM local time for signing memorabilia and other things for the fans.

Deegan first shared a story uploaded by Idahoan Foods’ Instagram account about her arrival in Kansas.

The second story uploaded by Hailie Deegan was of her sitting at the Idahoan Foods’ stand at the Kansas Speedway and signing memorabilia for the fans. The caption of the story read,

“Signing today at @kansasspeedway with @idahoanfoods”

Hailie Deegan is the brand ambassador for Idahoan Foods and often uploads images on her social media accounts promoting the brand.

Hailie Deegan’s rumored to make a NASCAR return for 2026

Hailie Deegan races in the FR series ahead of her Indy NXT debut to prepare for the open-wheel racing series. However, Deegan failed to impress in her debut season with no Top 10 result in the 16-race calendar. The 24-year-old’s best result was the P13 finish at Nashville Superspeedway.

Deegan finished the season 14th in the standings. A recent report from The Daily Downforce suggested that Deegan might be moving back to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series for the 2026 season. With a silly season on hand for the stock racing series, a move for Deegan is suspected.

However, the HMD Motorsports driver also has the Indy NXT option available for 2026. Despite the Truck series move, an Indy NXT driver is likely.

About the author

Pranay Bhagi is a motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience in the industry. Having worked with respected platforms such as EssentiallySports and SportsRush, he has written nearly 2,000 articles covering the thrilling worlds of Formula 1 and NASCAR. Pranay’s knack for presenting unique angles and breaking down complex developments has established him as a reliable voice in the motorsports community.

Armed with a B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel Administration, Pranay’s professional journey reflects his dedication to accuracy and storytelling. His deep knowledge of motorsports allows him to anticipate trends, find engaging storylines, and mentor budding writers. He has also spearheaded initiatives to improve content efficiency, including leading workshops and presentations for fellow writers.

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Balancing a love for both drivers and constructors, Pranay continues to bring insightful, ethical, and compelling content to motorsports fans worldwide. At Sportskeeda, he aims to enrich readers’ experience with his expertise and enthusiasm for the sport.

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Edited by Pranay Bhagi