Hailie Deegan will substitute for Tony Kanaan in two Camping World SRX Series races as scheduling conflicts prevent Kanaan from competing June 19 at Knoxville (Iowa) Speedway and July 10 at Slinger (Wis.) Speedway.
Deegan is currently a fulltime driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the 19-year-old racer from Temecula, California, was tabbed by SRX co-founder Ray Evernham to fill in for Kanaan.
“Tony Kanaan is going to bring a lot to the Camping World SRX Series, both in terms of talent and personality. We’d love to have him for all six races, but we’re also not going to complain about having him for four,” Evernham said. “It did, however, allow us the opportunity to find another strong personality who has shown that she’s not afraid to race door-to-door for the win. Hailie Deegan has won on the style of tracks where SRX is racing and now she has the opportunity to win against some of the biggest names in motorsports.”
Deegan is a three-time winner in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and was the first female to win a race in that series.
“It’s an honor to be a part of SRX and I’m grateful for the chance,” Deegan said. “I love racing. I started when I was eight in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series and, for the last five years, I’ve been on pavement working my way up the racing ladder. The challenge of SRX really appeals to me. Competing on different tracks – asphalt and dirt – with other drivers from all sorts of disciplines is a unique opportunity that doesn’t come around every day.”
Kanaan is committed to the four other races in the six-race short-track series beginning with the June 12 debut of the Camping World SRX Series at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. After Stafford, Kanaan will race June 26 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, July 3 at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis, and then July 17 in the season finale at the Nashville (Tenn.) Fairgrounds Speedway.
“I feel like other people driving my car is the story of my season,” said Kanaan, who is sharing a car in the NTT INDYCAR Series with Jimmie Johnson, running all the ovals while Johnson runs all the road and street courses. “Obviously, I want to race the full SRX schedule, but I have two commitments I cannot break. I really appreciate everyone’s flexibility, because when I first heard about SRX, I was the first one to raise my hand and loudly say I wanted to be a part of it. I’m happy that Hailie Deegan gets to enjoy this experience too because it really is a great opportunity for all of us.”
Every Camping World SRX Series race will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network with streaming live on Paramount+.
The Camping World SRX Series features world-class drivers from an array of motorsports backgrounds competing in identically prepared racecars on some of the most iconic short tracks in America. Tony Stewart, Paul Tracy, Bobby Labonte, Willy T. Ribbs, Bill Elliott, Ernie Francis Jr., Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves and Michael Waltrip are the fulltime drivers in the Camping World SRX Series. Local all-stars join the series regulars at the first five races, with six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby at Stafford, four-time Knoxville track champion Brian Brown at Knoxville, five-time USAC Silver Crown champion Kody Swanson at Eldora, prolific USAC and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour winner Bobby Santos III at Lucas Oil Raceway, and the winner of the July 6 Slinger Nationals – one of the most prestigious short-track races in the country – competing in the Camping World SRX Series race at Slinger. A handful of racing “ringers” will join the Camping World SRX Series at select races, with NASCAR veteran Greg Biffle competing at Stafford and Slinger, five-time Rallycross champion and former Formula One driver Scott Speed racing at Eldora and Lucas Oil Raceway, and Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Scott Bloomquist in his element at Knoxville.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
- NHRA announces eight-race schedule for 2024 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series - January 17, 2024
- Forgeline and Pratt Miller Motorsports Announce New Multi-Year Partnership - January 17, 2024
- TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein converts narrow pole to commanding win in the Season 10 opener of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the 2024 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix - January 16, 2024