"It kind of sucks": Hailie Deegan asks Indy NXT for key change in 'almost useless' test schedule

Hailie Deegan has spoken her mind about Indy NXT's unusually early test schedule, which isn't conducive for teams to gather information. The HMD Motorsports driver took part in a mid-season test at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course last Tuesday (April 22).

In a recent VLOG on her YouTube channel, Deegan showed behind-the-scenes footage from the Indy NXT test. Before taking to the track in her No. 38 car, she spoke about the 'brutal' nature of the early morning test and how the car handling feels completely different when the track and the tires are cold.

"We're back at the track this morning at test. It is early. We left the hotel at like 6:30. It was extremely early, it's cold, it's always... I feel like the tests start super early, so it's always freezing out. Wherever we're at, it doesn't matter, we're usually in states like Ohio, Indiana, which aren't the warmest in the morning, so it's definitely been a little brutal at the morning time in these tests," she said. [1:05 onwards]

"And it kind of sucks cuz we can't even really go on track when it's this cold cuz the track is just so bad with like how it makes the car handle and feel. You just have no grip, and so it's kind of like almost useless to learn anything. So I wish we started like an hour later but it is what it is. (But) we get all day to test, so it's not like we don't get plenty of time," she added.

Indy NXT didn't release the lap times from the Mid-Ohio test. However, Hailie Deegan has been showing improved pace with each passing session. In her first oval test in an Indy NXT open-wheel car at Nashville on April 1, the 23-year-old was 15th fastest out of 19 drivers, a considerable step-up from finishing dead last in the preseason tests.

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Hailie Deegan compares her NASCAR and Indy NXT experiences at the Mid-Ohio test

Hailie Deegan drives her No. 38 car at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Source: Getty

Hailie Deegan began her professional racing career competing in stock cars. She has raced in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, NASCAR Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Before testing the Indy NXT car at Mid-Ohio last week, she had raced at the circuit twice in the Truck Series. On her first time there in 2022, Deegan qualified 28th on the grid, only to produce a magical race where she gained 18 positions to finish P10.

After the Indy NXT test, she spoke about her new open-wheel experience at the track, saying:

"I've been here actually before in a (NASCAR) truck, and that was super fun, but totally different. We got to test here, make a bunch of laps. Super excited to come back. It's definitely a different feeling being in an Indy NXT car here.

"It was super fun testing. It's just a different experience... totally, totally different. The track is awesome. It's probably been one of my favorite road courses for a while now. Ever since I raced Trucks here, I have had some good finishes here. I've always liked this place."

Hailie Deegan finished 14th out of 21 drivers at the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. She will look to improve her position in the standings with a better result at the Grand Prix of Alabama this weekend from May 2 to 4.