Deegan is a Star, but Wrong this Time

I’m about to give a very hot take here because I’m about to do something many NASCAR fans won’t do.

I’m going to criticize Hailie Deegan.

Let me preface by saying that I like Deegan. I really do. I honestly think she is what NASCAR thought they had in Danica Patrick. She is winning races in the K&N Pro Series West, and will likely win a race or two in one of NASCAR’s three top series.

With that being said, I don’t like the move she made wrecking her teammate to win on Saturday night in the NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Colorado National Speedway.

To set the situation, Deegan was leading an overtime restart alongside Jagger Jones. Her teammate, Derek Kraus, made a 3-wide move from the third position and put a door to Deegan. On the final corner, Deegan was running second and went low and punted, (that’s right, I said punted) Kraus into a spin to take the checkers.

Deegan never apologized, saying that Kraus raced her hard so she raced him hard back. I don’t disagree that you shouldn’t race a teammate hard. See, Jeff Gordon v. Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano v. Brad Keselowski, but I do not agree with blatantly spinning someone, ESPECIALLY, your teammate to win a race.

I can hear everyone now, “bUt YoU WErE oK wItH wHaT LoGanO diD tO TrUEX!!” Yes, I was. Logano didn’t wreck Truex. He moved him out of the way to win a race for a shot at a championship (one that he wouldn’t have won without that move). Truex still had a chance to win that race, btw. Kraus, however did not.

Almost everyone, his boss included, had a problem with what Noah Gragson did to Todd Gilliland, crashing him on the final corner of a 2018 Truck race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, allowing Justin Haley to win. Do you know why? His name is Noah Gragson.

Not Hailie Deegan.

It’s not about what move happened. It’s about who made the move. That’s why people are mad at Logano and Gragson, and praising Deegan. She didn’t handle the post-race interview very well either. Constantly repeating that, in the end, all that matters is winning.

I’m sorry, miss Deegan, but yes, winning is important, but so is the respect you gain on the track from your fellow competitors.

I think Hailie Deegan will be a star in NASCAR for years to come, I just don’t think she handled this situation very well.