The 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season will begin on February 18, 2022, marking Hailie Deegan’s return to the No. 1 David Gilliland Racing Ford F-150. Deegan only posted one top-10 finish during her rookie season, but FOX Sports’ Jamie Little expressed the belief that this ‘real deal’ will add even more in 2022 as she continues to make strides.
Little provided the comments during a December 21 interview with Heavy. The FOX Sports play-by-play analyst and pit reporter said that she receives many questions about the next “woman racer” in NASCAR. There are many potential answers, but Little explained that Deegan has the requisite combination of skills and she also has a very strong approach to making improvements.
“When it comes to a driver that has the total package, that is capable of climbing the ladder, there’s not a lot of them,” Little told Heavy. “Male or female, especially not females. Hailie is the real deal. And the way that she is building the trajectory of her career, you could say she’s doing all the right things.
“This year was tough for all people, especially if you were a rookie. You didn’t have that practice. She told me at the final race in Phoenix, she’s like, ‘Man, I really feel like we’re just starting to hit our stride now because I’m understanding these trucks and the tracks that we’re going back to for a second time.’ But she said, ‘you know, next year, I’ll have practice and I think it’s going to be a game-changer.’ So I’m really looking forward to seeing how she can progress in 2022. I expect bigger things out of her for sure. I think we’ll definitely see her in the top 10 quite a few times — as we should — because of the equipment she’s in.”
Deegan Received An Important Education From Her Father
GettyBrian Deegan (left) provided Hailie (right) with “branding” knowledge.
While Deegan has made strides behind the wheel — whether it was in ARCA Menards Series or the Truck Series — she has also built up a brand away from the track. She constantly puts content up on her social media profiles and her YouTube channel while working with boyfriend/content creator Chase Cabre.
There are several drivers in NASCAR that have put considerable effort into their personal brands. Tyler Ankrum has his YouTube series “Pasture Thoughts” while Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch both release Vlogs on their respective channels showing some of their pursuits. However, Deegan had the benefit of learning at the feet of one of the best marketers in motorsports — 14-time X Games medal winner and Metal Mulisha co-founder Brian Deegan.
Little covered motocross and the X Games early in her career, and she saw firsthand the changes that Brian made that had a lasting impression. He went from one of the many AMA Supercross competitors to a household name after changing his brand and creating a reputation.
“I remember the turning point with Brian Deegan,” Little said. “I don’t know if we were the same age, but he was 19 or 20. And he went from this guy trying to be a Supercross racer — he really wasn’t making waves, wasn’t winning races — and all of a sudden he became this villain, this bad boy. And he built up this kind of fanbase around him and the Metal Mulisha was born and he got all these people to follow him.
“…He marketed the heck out of himself and he built this empire. And Hailie was right in the midst of it. I met her when she was two weeks old at Brian’s event at the X Games. She’s grown up in that, seeing what marketing can do for you. And you’re absolutely right, there is not another driver that goes after their fans, that markets themselves like she does. She doesn’t use other people to do these things for her. It’s she and her boyfriend Chase creating all of the content. She really cares about her fans, and she knows that’s important.”
Little Saw Deegan’s Branding Abilities Firsthand
One fascinating moment featuring Deegan’s father took place at the LA Memorial Coliseum in 1997. Brian won his first AMA Supercross race and celebrated in a truly memorable fashion. He jumped off the 125cc No. 28 entry and ghost-rode it off of the finish line jump, stunning the announcers in the process.
Brian explained in his post-race interview that he had promised himself that he would do something that no one else had done before once he won his first race. He finally achieved the goal and pulled off the controversial maneuver. He also said that he “kicked everyone’s a****” back when swearing on live TV stirred up a strong response. As Little revealed to Heavy 24 years later, those in charge actually threatened to withhold the win after Brian’s stunt.
Decades later, NASCAR will head to the site of Brian’s infamous ghost-ride for the Busch Light Clash exhibition race. Only the Cup Series drivers will compete in this preseason bout, but they will have a difficult task topping one of the best examples of a motorsports star making an impression in a unique arena.
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Jamie Little: Hailie Deegan Is ‘The Real Deal’