After several turbulent years in NASCAR’s national divisions and open-wheel racing, Hailie Deegan has returned to the championship where her stock-car career first gained national attention. In 2026, the Temecula, California, driver is competing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series West with Bill McAnally Racing.
Deegan is driving the No. 16 Chevrolet SS across the complete 13-race schedule. The move is more than a return to familiar surroundings. It is a calculated career reset designed to rebuild competitive momentum, pursue victories and show that her driving results can once again match her considerable popularity and commercial value.
Quick Facts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Hailie Deegan |
| Date of Birth | July 18, 2001 |
| Age | 25 years old in 2026 |
| Hometown | Temecula, California |
| Current Series | ARCA Menards Series West |
| Team / Car | Bill McAnally Racing, No. 16 Chevrolet SS |
| Key Partners | NAPA Auto Care, Monster Energy and Columbia Bank |
| 2026 Program | Full 13-race ARCA West schedule |
| West Series Victories | Three, earned during 2018 and 2019 |
| Best West Points Finish | Third in the 2019 championship |
| National ARCA Highlight | Third in points and Rookie of the Year in 2020 |
| Immediate Family | Brian, Marissa, Haiden and Hudson Deegan |
Where Hailie Deegan Is Racing in 2026
Hailie Deegan is racing in the ARCA Menards Series West, a regional stock-car championship within the NASCAR and ARCA development structure. It sits below the national ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series divisions, giving developing and experienced drivers a mixture of short-track, road-course and larger-oval competition.
Her schedule began at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on February 28, 2026, and is set to finish at the same venue on October 31. The campaign also includes Phoenix, Tucson, Shasta, Colorado National, Tri-City, Sonoma, Portland, All American, Madera and the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The No. 16 Chevrolet carries backing from NAPA Auto Care, Monster Energy and Columbia Bank during different events. Those partnerships provide the financial stability required for a full-season effort while connecting Deegan’s substantial digital audience with an established regional racing program.
Her stated objective is to win races and contend for the championship. That challenge requires more than occasional speed. A compact 13-event calendar places heavy importance on finishing every race because one retirement or severely reduced points result can erase the benefit of several consistent top-10 finishes.
Why Returning to Bill McAnally Racing Matters
Deegan’s reunion with Bill McAnally Racing places her back with the team that produced the strongest results of her early asphalt career. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, she made 28 West Series starts for BMR and earned three victories, 13 top-five finishes and 23 top-10 results.
Her first win came at Meridian Speedway in 2018, when she became the first female driver to win a race in the series. She added two victories during the following season and finished third in the 2019 championship, establishing herself as one of the most visible prospects in regional stock-car racing.
BMR entered 2026 as an 11-time West Series championship-winning organization. Its long history in the division gives Deegan access to cars, setup knowledge and track-specific experience developed over decades of racing on western short tracks.
That technical foundation is important because regional tracks often reward mechanical grip, tire management and restart execution more than outright horsepower. Returning to an established team allows Deegan to concentrate on converting practice and qualifying speed into complete race performances.
Her teammate, Mason Massey, also provides a direct benchmark. Massey won the opening race at Kern Raceway and remained ahead of Deegan in the standings after seven rounds, showing that BMR’s equipment is capable of competing near the front when the entire race weekend comes together.
Hailie Deegan’s 2026 Results and Race-Day Performance
Deegan began the season with a solid sixth-place finish at Kern Raceway, matching her starting position and completing every lap. At Phoenix, she started 19th in a larger combined field but recovered eight positions to finish 11th.
She then recorded three consecutive seventh-place finishes at Tucson, Shasta and Colorado National Speedway. Those results demonstrated dependable top-10 pace, although the No. 16 team was not yet consistently challenging for podiums or victories.
| Round | Track | Start | Finish | Performance Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway | 6th | 6th | Clean opening race; completed every lap |
| 2 | Phoenix Raceway | 19th | 11th | Gained eight positions in a combined field |
| 3 | Tucson Speedway | 6th | 7th | Remained inside the top 10 |
| 4 | Shasta Speedway | 7th | 7th | Matched her starting position |
| 5 | Colorado National Speedway | 3rd | 7th | Season-best qualifying effort |
| 6 | Tri-City Raceway | 3rd | 14th | Completed 108 of 150 laps |
| 7 | Sonoma Raceway | 20th | 20th | No qualifying time; completed 29 of 47 laps |
The strongest evidence of Deegan’s potential came in qualifying. She started third at both Colorado National and Tri-City, proving that the No. 16 Chevrolet could produce competitive single-lap speed. However, she fell to seventh at Colorado and completed only 108 laps at Tri-City.
Sonoma created another damaging points result. Deegan recorded no qualifying time, started 20th and completed 29 of the scheduled 47 laps. The official finishing data establish the result, but they do not provide enough detail to responsibly assign a specific mechanical or incident-related cause.
Across the opening seven races, Deegan recorded an average starting position of approximately 9.1 and an average finish of about 10.3. Those numbers reflect respectable regional-series speed, but they fall short of the performance level normally required to win a championship.
The 2026 ARCA West Championship Standings
Deegan entered the August race at Portland International Raceway seventh in the championship with 286 points. She trailed leader Trevor Huddleston by 62 points and sat only two points behind Mia Lovell for sixth.
The gap to the lead is substantial because six drivers are positioned between Deegan and the top of the standings. She must gain points on all of them rather than simply outperforming one championship rival.
| Position | Driver | Wins | Points | Gap to Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trevor Huddleston | 2 | 348 | Leader |
| 2 | Cole Denton | 2 | 314 | -34 |
| 3 | Mason Massey | 1 | 314 | -34 |
| 4 | Robbie Kennealy | 0 | 309 | -39 |
| 5 | Eric Johnson Jr. | 0 | 298 | -50 |
| 6 | Mia Lovell | 0 | 288 | -60 |
| 7 | Hailie Deegan | 0 | 286 | -62 |
The standings also clarify Deegan’s immediate benchmark. Her BMR teammate Massey held a 28-point advantage after seven rounds and already had one victory. Finishing ahead of him regularly during the final six races would demonstrate meaningful progress within equal team conditions.
A championship remains mathematically possible, but the more realistic targets are securing a victory, moving into the top five and reducing the performance gap to Huddleston, Denton and Massey. Deegan will likely need podium finishes and near-perfect reliability throughout the remaining schedule.
Why the ARCA West Return Is a Career Reset
Deegan’s original West Series success created expectations that she could become a regular contender in NASCAR’s national divisions. She strengthened that reputation during the 2020 national ARCA season, finishing third in points, earning Rookie of the Year and recording four top-five finishes and 17 top-10 results.
She moved into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for three full seasons from 2021 through 2023. Across that period, she earned five top-10 finishes, including career-best sixth-place results at Talladega in 2022 and Texas in 2023.
Her commercial appeal remained exceptionally strong. Deegan won the Truck Series’ Most Popular Driver Award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, proving that her audience remained engaged even when her on-track results were inconsistent.
The difficulty was that her racing production did not improve at the same rate as her public profile. She rarely qualified or finished near the front, leaving her in congested midfield traffic where incidents and strategic disadvantages were more common.
That tension between popularity and results became a central part of her career story. Her 2026 ARCA West campaign gives her an opportunity to shift the conversation away from follower counts and sponsorship value by producing victories in equipment with proven regional-series capability.
What Happened During Her Xfinity Series Season
Deegan joined AM Racing for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, driving the No. 15 Ford. She made 17 starts, recorded four finishes of 20th or better and posted an average finish of 26.8. Her best result was 12th.
The partnership struggled to meet its competitive expectations. Deegan frequently raced outside the top 20, and the team eventually placed Cup Series champion Joey Logano in the car for the Chicago Street Course event to collect experienced feedback.
Logano delivered an eighth-place finish, which became the car’s best result of the season at that point. The comparison intensified questions about how much of the team’s difficulty came from the equipment and how much came from Deegan’s ability to extract its available speed.
Deegan and AM Racing separated after those opening 17 races. The split ended what had initially been announced as a multiyear opportunity and interrupted her attempt to establish herself as a full-time national-series driver.
The experience remains relevant to her 2026 comeback because another opportunity at the Truck or Xfinity level would likely require clear evidence of improved qualifying, tire management, race execution and communication with the team.
What Her INDY NXT Season Added to Her Career
Deegan made a dramatic change in 2025 by joining HMD Motorsports for the full 14-race INDY NXT season. She entered the category without previous formula-car racing experience, creating one of the steepest learning challenges of her career.
An INDY NXT car responds differently from a heavy stock car. It depends more heavily on aerodynamic grip, precise braking, smooth steering inputs and maintaining a stable platform through high-speed corners. The absence of power steering also placed additional physical demands on the driver.
Deegan completed the full campaign and gained experience on street circuits, road courses and ovals. Her best result was 11th during the Laguna Seca weekend, and she finished 14th in the championship with 202 points.
The season did not produce the results needed for an immediate move toward the NTT IndyCar Series. However, it added road-course experience, simulator discipline and a more technical approach to braking and data analysis.
Returning to ARCA West therefore represents a move back to a style of racing that better matches her background. The question is whether the broader skills gained in INDY NXT can help her become a more complete stock-car driver.
What Deegan Must Improve in the Final Six Races
The opening half of the season suggests that single-lap speed is not the only concern. Deegan qualified sixth or better in four of the first seven rounds and earned two third-place starting positions.
The larger issue is converting those starting spots into finishes. At Colorado National, she moved backward from third to seventh. At Tri-City, another third-place start ended with a 14th-place finish after she completed 108 laps.
The No. 16 team must improve its ability to maintain balance throughout long green-flag runs, protect track position and execute late restarts. In short regional races, drivers have limited time to recover after losing positions or making an unscheduled stop.
Deegan also needs to complete every remaining event. A fifth- or sixth-place finish can preserve valuable points, while another result outside the top 15 would make a top-five championship position considerably more difficult.
The remaining schedule begins with Portland International Raceway on August 8. It then moves to All American Speedway, Madera Speedway, the Las Vegas Bullring, Phoenix Raceway and the finale at Kern Raceway.
Portland offers an immediate test of whether her INDY NXT road-course experience has transferred back to a stock car. The later short-track events will measure the tire management and restart execution that defined her original West Series success.
Family, Siblings and Personal Life
Hailie is the daughter of Brian Deegan and Marissa Deegan. Brian built a major career in freestyle motocross, X Games competition, off-road racing and rallycross, helping establish the Deegan name as a recognizable motorsports brand.
Her younger brothers, Haiden and Hudson Deegan, also grew up around professional racing. Haiden developed into a championship-winning motocross and Supercross rider, while Hudson has pursued motocross and appeared regularly in family racing content.
The family’s motorsports experience has given Hailie access to training facilities, mechanical knowledge and commercial guidance from an early age. It has also placed her career under greater attention because the family already had a large and loyal action-sports audience.
Deegan is engaged to Chase Cabre, a former regional NASCAR driver who finished second in the 2019 East Series standings. Cabre later became highly involved in simulator racing and helped Deegan study tracks and driving data during her move into INDY NXT.
Their shared racing background makes motorsports part of their everyday life. Cabre’s ability to compare simulator laps, telemetry and braking traces has given Deegan a useful reference when preparing for unfamiliar circuits.
Lifestyle, Sponsors and Public Image
Deegan’s lifestyle remains closely connected to racing, off-road vehicles, garage projects, outdoor activities and family life. Her public image is less focused on traditional celebrity appearances and more centered on hands-on motorsports content.
That approach has helped her maintain relationships with companies that value an audience extending beyond television broadcasts. Her 2026 partners receive visibility through her race program as well as social posts, videos and behind-the-scenes content.
Monster Energy has been associated with the Deegan family for years, while NAPA Auto Care’s involvement connects her with one of BMR’s longest-running commercial relationships. Columbia Bank has also appeared as a primary partner during selected 2026 events.
The durability of those partnerships is an important career asset. Sponsorship provides Deegan with opportunities that many drivers cannot access, but it also increases the pressure to demonstrate that her commercial strength is supported by competitive performance.
Hailie Deegan’s Social Media Presence
Hailie Deegan maintains an active presence on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X, where she shares racing updates, garage projects, off-road vehicles, simulator work, travel and family moments. Her main handles include @hailiedeegan on Instagram and TikTok, while her YouTube channel appears as @HailieDeegan1, giving fans regular access beyond race weekends.
Her digital reach gives sponsors exposure beyond race broadcasts and strengthens her commercial value. It also brings greater scrutiny, making her 2026 results important to fans who want her online popularity matched by stronger on-track performance.
Interesting Facts About Hailie Deegan
- She began driving off-road karts at approximately eight years old.
- She became the first female race winner in West Series history at Meridian Speedway in 2018.
- She earned three West Series victories during her original run with Bill McAnally Racing.
- She won the Truck Series’ Most Popular Driver Award three consecutive times.
- Her career has included off-road racing, ARCA, NASCAR Trucks, NASCAR Xfinity and INDY NXT.
FAQs
Where is Hailie Deegan racing in 2026?
Hailie Deegan is racing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series West, driving BMR’s No. 16 Chevrolet across all 13 events.
What car does Hailie Deegan drive?
She drives the No. 16 Chevrolet SS for Bill McAnally Racing, with support from NAPA, Monster Energy and Columbia Bank.
Why did Hailie Deegan return to ARCA West?
The move gives her a familiar stock-car program where she can pursue wins, rebuild consistency and reset her racing career.
Is Hailie Deegan related to Brian Deegan?
Yes. Brian Deegan is Hailie’s father and is known for freestyle motocross, X Games competition and off-road racing.
Who are Hailie Deegan’s siblings?
Her younger brothers are Haiden and Hudson Deegan, both of whom grew up competing in the family’s motorsports environment.
Conclusion
Hailie Deegan’s return to ARCA West is a high-stakes career reset with the team that delivered her strongest stock-car results. Early qualifying speed and four top-10 finishes showed clear potential, but setbacks at Tri-City and Sonoma left her seventh in points and increased the pressure to deliver during the final six races.
A victory, regular top-five finishes and a stronger points position would make the comeback meaningful. Deegan still has major sponsorship, a large audience and proven West Series success, but her future depends on consistent race-day execution.
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