After wrecking out of her ARCA debut last month, 17-year-old NASCAR phenom Hailie Deegan said she was “done playing nice.”
Well, she wasn’t kidding.
Deegan earned her second K&N Pro Series west victory of the season Saturday night after bumping past teammate Derek Kraus in overtime at Colorado National Speedway. It was Deegan’s third victory in 19 K&N West Series starts.
Take a look at the controversial finish:
Watch the final moments from @HailieDeegan's win unfold and don't forget to catch the full race Thursday, June 13 at 6 PM ET on @NBCSN and the @NBCSports app: https://t.co/3R1jBIejFe pic.twitter.com/qUQji3kfKH
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 9, 2019
#KNWEST Victory Lane is HYPE! 😄@HailieDeegan and her No. 19 @BMR_NASCAR team celebrate at Colorado after a thrilling OT finish!
Have you ever? 🤯😱#ColoradoNAPA150 | @cnsracing pic.twitter.com/YZ6VsgoU1X
— NASCAR Regional (@NASCARRegional) June 9, 2019
If you’ve followed Deegan throughout her incredibly young racing career, you know she’s not afraid to speak her mind.
Case in point: The video that she recorded after the race.
Make of that what you will.
Deegan’s personality has proven divisive among diehard NASCAR fans, many of whom believe she’s undeserving of the the massive hype she’s generated relative to her peers. Unsurprisingly, many believe Deegan simply is riding on the coattails of the recently retired Danica Patrick.
Of course, none of that is fair. Deegan is her own person, whose racing path is far different than that of Patrick’s.
Most importantly, the immediate success she’s enjoyed in the regional series suggests a talent capable of making it to — as well as succeeding in — NASCAR’s highest level.
