On Friday, Oct. 16 at Phoenix Raceway, history was made.
Six women raced in the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100, an ARCA West Series competition, marking the most women racers in a field in a single race for the series. It also tied the mark for the national ARCA Menards Series — which is akin to a minor leagues of sort for NASCAR.
The group included Taylor Reimer, Hailie Deegan, Jade Avedisian, Quinn Davis, Mia Lovell and Dystany Spurlock. Reimer placed second in the rain-shortened race, while Deegan, Lovell and Avedisian all finished inside the top 10.
It was a reminder of how many talented women there are in racing, but also the fact that there wasn’t a woman driving full-time in either of NASCAR’s top three national touring circuits this
year and how difficult it can be for a driver to break through to the next level.
Speaking to reporters before that race, Deegan revealed that her goal is to change that in 2027 and return to NASCAR’s Truck Series.
“Next year, I would love to go truck racing again,” Deegan said. “So, we’re working on everything we possibly can to move forward and keep digging at it. You got to get a lot of sponsor commitments and everything to kind of end up there.
“If I had my dream scenario and unlimited budget, that’s where I would like to go.”
A 25-year-old from California, Deegan has competed in many disciplines of autoracing. She began her path on dirt tracks and in 2016 was named the Lucas Oil Off Road Driver of the Year. The following year, she was part of the NASCAR Next Class alongside now-Cup Series drivers Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst and Zane Smith, as well as Harrison Burton and Ty Majeski.
In 2018, she broke into the ARCA West Series and won three races in two seasons while also logging 10 other top-five finishes. Deegan then went Truck Series racing for the first time, notching five top-10 finishes in three seasons piloting Fords for David Gilliland and ThorSport. Her seventh-place finish at Gateway was the first time a woman had placed inside the top 10 in the Truck Series on a non-superspeedway track.
Deegan was also voted Most Popular Driver in the Truck Series in each of her three full-time seasons on the circuit, the first woman to earn the honor in trucks and just the second in any NASCAR series, following Danica Patrick’s 2012 nod in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. With a fearless driving style, Deegan garnered the adoration of many fans.
In 2024, Deegan moved to the second-tier O’Reilly Series, but she and AM Racing parted ways after just 17 races. Her best finish was 12th at Talladega. Deegan then spent 2025 in open-wheel racing, driving in Indy NXT, before returning to stock cars this season in ARCA. She’s also previously raced in the CARS Tour, the now-defunct Superstar Racing Experience and F3.
Deegan proved this year she’s still an incredibly talented racecar driver. In 12 races behind the wheel of the No. 16 Chevrolet for Bill McAnally Racing, Deegan has eight top-10 finishes in ARCA West and returned to victory lane at Madera Speedway on Sept. 26.
Her hope is to return to NASCAR in the Truck Series next season, but she still needs to get sponsors lined up.
“I don't even know for sure for myself, at all. So we're still working on stuff, but obviously, the dream scenario would be to go truck racing,” Deegan said. “If everything works out and everything keeps building and growing, that would be great to end up there. I wish I could say, because I wish I knew myself, but I don't.
“That's the hardest part in the racing world is being able to get those sponsor commitments so early so you can tell everyone what you're doing.”
Toni Breidinger was the last woman to compete in one of NASCAR’s top three touring series full-time, driving the No. 5 Toyota for Tricon Garage in 2025, notching a best finish of 18th at Rockingham. This year, Breidinger was one of a handful of women to compete in the Truck Series part-time alongside Natalie Decker and Spurlock. All three ran at Dover this year, where Spurlock became the first Black woman to compete in NASCAR.
Accomplished driver Katherine Legge was the only woman to compete in the Cup Series this season, running two races in the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports.
No woman has ever won in any of NASCAR's top three national touring series. With four ARCA West wins, Deegan is one of the few to win in the lower levels of stockcar racing. Shawna Robinson won three races in the now-defunct Goody's Dash Series in the late 1980s. Gracie Trotter also won an ARCA West race in 2020.
Even if it’s not in the Truck Series, fans can be sure that Deegan will be racing somewhere in 2027.
“Whatever I do, I want to stay in racing for as long as possible. That's my goal. I just love racing — it’s part of my life, it’s everything in my life,” Deegan said. “I don't think I could get away from the racetrack even if I wanted to.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Hailie Deegan return to the NASCAR Truck Series in 2027?
