Back up, boys. You don't run the track anymore.
One of the most exciting aspects of NASCAR's Next Class has to be the inclusion of 15-year-old Hailie Deegan. The daughter of X-Games legend Brian Deegan, Hailie is dedicated to using her impressive racing pedigree to becoming unstoppable on the track. At a recent press event celebrating the Next Class, Hailie said, "I'd love to be a seven-time champion."
Hell yeah.
Hailie is the single female out of the group of nine racers who were chosen for the 2017-2018 NASCAR Next class, and her success could help to modernize a male-dominated sport. Hailie is aware of her landmark status. "Jimmie Johnson came from the same sort of racing I did," Hailie said. "The only difference is that I'm a girl."
Here's to hoping Hailie has a long career at the front of the pack, encouraging other young women to get involved in the sport, shifting the demographics of the drivers.
H/T Reid Spencer
Related: Check out some of the most bad-ass women in racing history