Hailie Deegan Vegas Run Exposes Driver's Mindset and Should Be Cause for Concern in 2023

Hailie Deegan has struggled in her first two starts with ThorSport Racing, recording a pair of DNFs. While Daytona can be written off because it's superspeedway racing, what happened over the weekend in Las Vegas should be more concerning to the No. 13 driver and her fans.

The 21-year-old initially impressed with a strong qualifying effort in Sin City, where she finished fifth and started on the third row, ahead of two of her teammates, including 2021 Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes and three-time champion Matt Crafton. However, her running up front didn't last long – not even a couple of laps.

The No. 13 dropping back in the field became a theme throughout the race, and despite her team encouraging her to be more aggressive, it didn't happen. In the end, the race exposed Deegan's mindset and showed, despite being in top equipment, it still might be a challenging 2023 season.

Video Credits:
NASCAR
NASCAR.com
Fox Sports
Hailie Deegan YouTube Channel

Audio Credits:
SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Photo Credits:
Getty Images