148 - Learning Curve - Hailie Deegan Transitions from Stock Cars to Open Wheel

Speed Street

Conor Daly prepares for his next challenge behind the wheel on this week’s episode of Speed Street. He joins co-host Chase Holden to discuss his upcoming NASCAR Truck race at Homestead and the challenges he’s facing in a grueling market for open seats in 2025. The guys also discuss the recent IndyCar test at Iowa Speedway as well as the Indianapolis Road Course test for 2025’s IndyNXT roster. Conor spent the past weekend watching racing and was disappointed with the outcome of the Formula One United States Grand Prix. He weighs in on the differences between IndyCar and Formula One track limits and how the race may have played out differently if the stewards didn’t have to get involved.

Hailie Deegan joins the show to discuss her highly publicized transition from the NASCAR world to the IndyNXT paddock. Hailie explains that after her last NASCAR Xfinity event, she began to ponder entering the open wheel world and went to the IndyCar event at Iowa Speedway to take in the series firsthand. She compares the amount of track time she’s had so far in preparing for her first IndyNXT start to her past four seasons spent in NASCAR, which reveals a major challenge for developing racers in the stock car world. Conor and Hailie discuss the use of iRacing in helping to ease the growing pains that come with switching types of race cars, as well as the affordability of racing in IndyNXT versus a NASCAR Truck.

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