Haley.

Degan’s decision to leave Nascar and move to Indie Nxt is an unexpected move.

At 23 years old, she’s already made history, but her journey in Nascar has not been easy.

Now she is stepping into the world of Open Wheel racing- a completely different challenge.

Ran Blay has won his way into the championship.

A great day for Kyle Ls.

Seven career win in his 100.

Jo the Che flag.

Degan first gained attention in the Nascar Aram Menard’s West Series, where she won three races.

She was the first female driver to do so, with one victory in 2018 and two more in 2019.

This early success made her one of the most talked about young drivers in the sport.

However, things became more difficult when she moved up the Nascar ranks in 2021.

She joined the Craftsman Truck Series, competing in 69 races over three seasons, but she only managed five top 10 finishes, and her best season ending rank was 17th in 2021.

The struggle continued when she moved to the Xfinity Series in 2024, driving for Am racing.

She started 17 races, but her best finish was only 12.

For many fans, Degan’s move to Indie Nxt seemed sudden, but in reality it was the result of many challenges, especially Financial ones.

Nascar is expensive.

Even talented drivers struggle to secure sponsorships, and Degan was no exception.

She spoke openly about the money issue in an interview with Bob popest for Fox Sports.

She said I’m not actively trying to look for a ride or anything, but if a couple million dollars Falls in my lap, awesome.

She explained that a competitive ride in a strong Xfinity Series team costs around $6 million per season.

Sponsorship money in Nascar has been shrinking.

Even big names like Kyle Bush and Denny Hamlin have been affective.

When Mars Inc left Joe Gibbs Racing, Bush had to find a new team.

Hamlin’s longtime sponsor, Fedex, announced it would not return in 2025.

If top drivers face these struggles, it is even harder for younger drivers like Degan.

Degan pointed out another problem.

Nascar teams rely on sponsors, but sponsors want results.

If a driver can’t promise good finishes, companies are hesitant to invest.

She said it’s hard to say to a sponsor: you spend a couple hundred grand for this race and you’re going to get your value.

You can’t promise that to people.

Faced with these financial and Performance challenges, Degan decided to take a different path.

She found an opportunity in Indie Nxt, a series that feeds into the top level Indie Car Series.

There were a few key reasons why this move made sense for her.

First, she has always performed well on road courses.

Unlike Nascar, which focuses heavily on overall racing, Indie Nxt features a mix of road courses and ovals.

Second, she got an offer from Hmd Motorsports, one of the top teams in Indianic.

This gave Degan a strong team to support her development, something she had struggled to find in Nascar.

Degan is aware that this transition will not be easy.

Open whee cars handle differently than stock cars.

The driving style, the aerodynamics and the competition are all different.

She is approaching this challenge with a learning mindset.

She admitted I feel like have been learning so much and having a blast doing it.

It’s just trying something new.

It’s been a big change, but a fun one.

She also does not know exactly what to expect.

I haven’t really set any finishing goals because I want to see how I do.

At the first race she said I have no clue how everyone races.

I have no clue how many Recs there are going to be.

One area where she might have an advantage is oval racing.

While she has struggled on Nascar’s larger ovals, her stock car experience could help on the shorter Ov in Indie Nxt, but she knows there will still be a learning curve.

Degan’s switch to Indie Nxt is not just about escaping the challenges of Nascar.

It is about finding a place where she can compete without the extreme Financial pressure.

Nascar is one of the most expensive forms of Motorsports.

Teams rely on big sponsors and without them it is nearly impossible to race at a high level.

In contrast, Indie Nxt, while still competitive, does not require the same level of funding.

Degan can focus more on driving and improving, rather than constantly searching for sponsorship money.

Her move also raises bigger questions about Nascar’s future.

Haley Degan has not ruled out a return, but the biggest obstacle is money.

She has said that if an opportunity comes and someone is willing to pay for a ride, she would take it, but right now it is simply too expensive for sponsors.

This shows a major issue.

In Motorsports, Financial backing has become just as important as Talent Dean as millions of followers and social media.

Yet even with that level of marketability, finding sponsors is tough.

This is not just a problem in Nascar.

Across different racing series, talented drivers struggle to secure funding for competitive rides.

With that reality in mind, Degan has shifted her Focus to Indi nxd.

It is a fresh Challenge in a type of racing that is new to her.

Before making the decision, she had never attended an indie car race until July when she visited Iowa Speedway.

She later went to Nashville Speedway in September.

After stepping away from Nascar’s Exfinity Series, she quickly started looking for the next step.

She did not waste time feeling sorry for herself.

Instead she asked questions, explored her options and talk to people in the Indie Car World.

Her driving style might be a good fit for Open Wheel racing.

If she can succeed there, it could lead to New Opportunities.

It could even make a Nascar return possible in the future if the right backing comes along.

But Degan’s situation is not unique.

Nascar itself has seen drivers miss out on opportunities because of funding.

A perfect example is Cory Heim and Riley Herbst.

When 2311 racing had a cup series seat open, he seemed like the obvious choice.

Based in performance.

He had won six races in 2024 and made the championship four for 2 years in a row.

Meanwhile, Herbst had just three wins over five full-time Exfinity seasons.

Despite him’s Superior results, 2311 chose Herbst.

The reason: sponsorship money.

Herbst has long been backed by Monster Energy, a company that has ties to 2311.

That financial support made him the more attractive option for the team, even though Heim had shown more potential as a driver.

This is the reality of modern Nascar.

Talent alone is not enough.

Without sponsorship dollers, even the most skilled drivers can struggle to move up.

It is a business and teams need funding to operate rate, and this is why some drivers with average results get better opportunities than those with stronger records.

For Heim, this means he will remain in the truck series while herbs gets a shot at the Cub series and if herbs struggles in his rookie season 2311 might reconsider.

But for now, sponsorship money one out.

The same challenge applies to Degan.

Even with a massive fan base, getting the financial backing needed for a Nascar ride has proven difficult.

Ind, the Nx, is a way for her to keep racing and prove herself in a different environment.

If she can deliver strong results, it could increase her value to potential sponsors and Nascar teams.

Her move also raises a question: could Open Wheel racing be a better long-term path for her?

While Nascar has been her Focus for years?

The road to success there is tough without major funding.

If she finds success in Indie Nxt, it could lead to more opportunities in Indie Car rather than Nascar.

Now that’s all we have for today’s episode.

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