Deegan’s season had been a struggle, leading to Joey Logano replacing her for the Xfinity Series race in Chicago. Before this change, Deegan hadn’t secured a top-10 finish in 17 races and was 27th in the points standings, with eight consecutive finishes of 20th place or worse. As she seeks to revive her career, Dale Earnhardt Jr. attributes her situation to broader issues within NASCAR.
Earnhardt Jr. explained that Deegan’s predicament reflects a challenging system faced by many drivers. He noted that drivers often progress from racing at local tracks to higher levels like the Truck and Xfinity Series. However, securing financial support—whether from sponsors or family—is costly and not guaranteed to last indefinitely. This uncertainty can create a sense of urgency for drivers to seize any available opportunity to advance, even if it’s not ideal.
He suggested that, ideally, drivers like Deegan should spend more time in lower series to develop their skills. However, the financial pressure forces them to move up quickly. As a result, drivers might end up in unfavorable situations. Earnhardt Jr. believes Deegan took the Xfinity opportunity, thinking it would suit her better, but it might not have been the right choice.
He pointed out that drivers often have to take the next opportunity presented to them, hoping to reach the top as fast as possible, because maintaining funding for lower series is unsustainable. This haste can lead to poor outcomes, as drivers may end up in situations where they can’t perform well. Earnhardt Jr. finds this trend frustrating, as it’s driven by financial constraints rather than what’s best for the driver’s development.
