Dani Ben-Ari, automotive writer

Hailie Deegan has been named to replace 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan for two races in the Tony Stewart/Ray Evenham Camping World SRX Series beginning at Knoxville (Iowa) Speedway on June 19, and again July 10 at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin.

The opportunity comes at the invitation of Evernham himself, who found that Kanaan had other commitments to race on those dates. Meanwhile, Kanaan will appear in the season opener June 12 at Stafford, CT as well as at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH on June 26, Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis July 3, and the series finale at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on July 17.

Deegan, 19, who currently drives races full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, is the first female driver to win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and has three victories on that circuit. She now has the opportunity to show her mettle (and possibly win) against some of the biggest names in motorsports including Tony Stewart, Bill Elliot, 2021 Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Michael Waltrip, Willy T. Ribbs, Marco Andretti, Ernie Francis Jr., Bobby LaBonte, and Paul Tracy.

“It’s an honor to be a part of SRX and I’m grateful for the chance,” Deegan said in a release. “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, including Tony Stewart, himself, Bill Elliot, 2021 Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Michael Waltrip, Willy T. Ribbs, Marco Andretti, Ernie Francis Jr., Bobby LaBonte, and Paul Tracy, is a unique opportunity that doesn’t come around every day.”
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