Hailie Deegan reveals turning to Indy NXT winner for an ‘honest answer’ to her struggles

HMD Motorsports driver Hailie Deegan recently opened up about reaching out to 2024 Indy NXT winner Jamie Chadwick for advice. Chadwick drove for the Andretti Global team in the Indy NXT by Firestone series. She became the first female driver in the series since 2010 and the third female driver to win an IndyCar developmental series.

On Friday, May 9, during the Sansio Grand Prix pre-race press conference, Deegan was questioned if she reached out to last year's Indy NXT winner, Chadwick, for some advice. The 23-year-old revealed that she reached out to the 2024 Indy NXT champion after she struggled during the Barber Grand Prix held on May 4.

"My first ever Indy NXT race that I came to last year, I got to meet her and everything so she was very friendly which is awesome so I definitely felt comfortable reaching out to her and knew that she's going to give me an honest answer something that I've been really working towards," Deegan said.

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Deegan had a tough race at the Barber Motorsports Park Grand Prix last weekend, as she qualified in 19th place and managed to finish the race in only 17th place. This marked her second grand prix in the series.

During her maiden race at St. Petersburg on March 2, Hailie Deegan qualified in 21st place and managed to make up places due to the lap 1 incident involving her rivals. She finished the race in 14th place.

The former NASCAR driver moved to open-wheel racing after failing to secure the sponsorship needed for her to move forward in stock racing. The #38 driver drove in the Xfinity series with AM Racing, where she finished in 23rd place. Her best finish came at the Ag-Pro 3000 series, where she finished in 12th place.

Hailie Deegan faces an unforeseen challenge at Barber Motorsports Park

Hailie Deegan wrapped up her second race in the series at Barbar Motorsports Park. However, she found the Grand Prix to be a tough one as it was a tricky and physically demanding track.

During the qualifying seassion, Deegan found herself in the 19th position. Before qualifying, she faced another challenge in the wet and dry practice session, as it was something she was not used to. The 23-year-old highlighted the same in her recent YouTube vlog.

In the video, Hailie Deegan spoke about her experience at her first rain season in Indy NXT, and she also highlighted the practice session before the qualifying.

"Second practice was a little everywhere, 'coz we started on rain tires and then we went to slicks, and I really learned something new that practice session, (which) was how when the track dries out, even if it's just one little lane that's drying out, when the water is not sitting there on the track in that one lane, you can go full speed," the 23-year-old said. [8:15 onwards]

Deegan added that the process of the track drying up was something new to her.

"So I learned that very fast, that 'Okay, you don't baby it or anything like that. I didn't think the track was going to get back to its full dry pace, but it did. I wasn't actively driving as if it was completely dry, just 'coz I didn't know any better. Obviously, I won't make that mistake again," she added.