Haley Degan’s Nascar career has made a lot of people angry.
Both fans and experts are saying bad things about how she races.
One Reddit user stated: not a disappointment, cuz we all know she sucks.
Another critic on social media declared: Haley Degan is garbage.
She’s the embarrassment of Nascar for women race car drivers.
These harsh comments reflect a growing sentiment among Nascar fans.
But how did we get here?
Let’s jump into the tumultuous career of Haley Degan and explore why she has become one of the most controversial figures in Nascar.
Degan burst onto the scene with high expectations.
Her early career in the K&n Pro Series West showed promise with three wins in two seasons.
This success, coupled with a strong social media presence, led to significant hype around Degan.
As a potential rising star in Nascar in 2020, Degan made her Nascar truck series debut, finishing 16th.
This performance fueled optimism about her future in the sport.
However, her full-time seasons in 2021 and 2022 failed to live up to expectations.
During these 2 years, Degan struggled to show significant Improvement.
Her statistics were disappointing.
With only three top 10 finishes across both seasons, her average finishing position hovered around 21.5, far from the front of the pack.
One Reddit user reflected on the stark contrast between expectations and reality.
A few years ago, people were talking about her replacing Harvick in the four car someday.
Now she’s barely a top 20 driver while driving for one of the top teams in the truck series and is a complete non-factor in Xfinity.
The 2023 season brought a move to Thor sport racing, one of the top teams in the truck series.
This change raised hopes that Degan would finally break through and consistently run at the front.
However, her performance continued to falter.
In the first race of the Season, she was caught up in in a big wreck, setting a tone for what has been a difficult year.
As of the latest update, Degan has just one top 10 finish in the 2023 season, with an average finish of 21.5 three dnfs, and currently sits 18th in the standings.
These statistics have led to intense criticism and Analysis of her career.
Questions have Arisen about whether Degan’s popularity and sponsorship appeal outweigh her onrack performance.
Some argue that her social media following and marketability have propelled her career more than her racing skills.
This has sparked discussions about the role of gender in Nascar, with some wondering if Degan has received more opportunities than her results warrant due to being a female driver in a male-dominated sport.
One particularly harsh comment on social media stated.
Haley Degan is not there on Talent.
She’s there because she’s good-looking and has money.
She’s a pay driver.
Despite her truck series struggles, Degan’s Xfinity series debut at Las Vegas in 2022 provided a glimmer of hope.
She finished 13th- the best ever result for a woman- in her Exfinity series debut.
This performance led to speculation about whether Degan should move up to the Xfinity series fulltime, with some arguing that the different racing style might better suit her abilities.
However, even this achievement was met with skepticism by some.
One critic argued.
Unsurprisingly, her fans, following what the driver herself has said in the past about the rough and tumble truck series, immediately began suggesting her single result in Sin City was proof she could be competitive if racing against cleaner drivers.
Unfortunately, that argument is flawed in a couple of ways.
First, finding success in a single race doesn’t mean anything.
See her first Truck Series race at Kansas in 2020.
Fan and media reactions to Degan’s Career have been divided.
Some continue to support her, citing her age and potential for improvement.
Others have grown increasingly itical, pointing to her lack of progress over multiple Seasons.
Debates rage about the factors contributing to her struggles, including equipment, quality, experience level and the differences between racing series.
One Reddit user provided a broader perspective.
95% of drivers coming up have mediocre Talent.
It’s just the car masks it nowadays.
You put anyone confident in a brand new, no dollar Left Behind prate model from one of the top chassis Builders.
They are going to win races and look like a super star.
These parents are spending hundreds of thousands to push their kids forwards.
They get found out the higher they go, and raw skill becomes a factor.
Comparisons to other female drivers, both past and present, have been frequent.
Historical figures like Janet Guthrie, Lyn St James and Michelle muton are often cited as examples of women who succeeded in Motorsports without the level of support Degan has received.
One critic noted these three women did it on their own Merit Imo.
Only Michelle Muton had the DNA to bang Wheels with the likes of Kevin Harvick and come out ahead.
The discussion around Degan has led to broader analysis of Nascar’s development Pathways.
The influence of money and sponsorship in determining who gets opportunities has been a major talking point.
Some argue that Degan’s case highlights how marketing appeal can sometimes outweigh onrack performance.
In Nascar, unlike in other sports where Talent is the primary factor in advancement, one rdit user provided an interesting breakdown of paths to Nascar success, categorizing Degan under Elite tier family connections alongside drivers like Cole Kuster and Chase Elliot.
This categorization suggests that Degan’s opportunities may be more a result of her family’s connections than her own.
Talent media coverage of Degan has also come under scrutiny.
Some fans have criticized broadcasters, particularly Fox, for not providing adequate coverage or analysis of her struggles.
Meanwhile, Degan’s substantial social media following continues to be a point of discussion, with some viewing it as an asset to the sport, While others see it as a distraction from her Ontrack performance.
As Degan’s career progresses, questions about her future prospects have become more pressing.
There’s an ongoing debate about whether she’s trending towards bust status or if she still has potential for improvement.
The importance of her upcoming performances in shaping her career trajectory cannot be overstated.
One Reddit user questioned whether Nascar is the right fit for De, suggesting her talents might be better suited to dirt racing or other Motorsports.
Given her father’s success in X Games events, I’m just not sure if Haley Degan has it.
As a Nascar driver, she never improved in any of her truck seasons and has looked straight up bad in Xfinity this year.
She’s a pretty good dirt racer and her dad is an X Games legend.
Maybe her calling is in that field of sports.
Another person argued that if Degan were male, she’d face even harsher criticism, noting that no male driver who sucked in trucks for two years, then wrecked for last in Xfinity every week, would have anyone defending them.
This comment highlights the complex interplay of gender and performance expectations in Nascar.
Another user made a pointed comparison, asking readers to imagine if people talked about lesser-known drivers- Dawson, cram and Blaine Perkins- as much as they do about Degan.
This comment underscores the disproportionate attention Degan receives relative to her onrack performance.
One one Reddit user expressed frustration at Degan taking up a seat in the series Bc of money, contrasting her performance with drivers like bosor who excel in one-off Opportunities.
He added she not fast and out of control and making rookie mistakes.
She’s flat out, slow and still crashing.
Another user suggested that the only people defending her anymore are the creeps, implying that some of Degan’s support stems from inappropriate admiration rather than recognition of racing Talent.
This comment highlights the sometimes uncomfortable intersection of Degan’s marketability and her racing career.
Another user summed up a common sentiment: driver is bad and pushed up too fast.
The car isn’t great, but last year she was in a great car and was also awful, so it’s basically her.
Another user provided a more nuanced take, listing multiple factors contributing to Degan’s struggles: a bad team, a bad car and an very, very inexperienced driver that has been pushed up too fast.
He also touched on the financial aspect, noting she obviously must bring a lot of money to the table, or I personally don’t think she’d have a ride.
Sad part is she’s probably the only humble personality in that family.
Her father and brother are pompous Chs, to say it nicely, but hell, at least her brother is fast.
The criticism extends Beyond just her Ontrack performance in 2021.
Degan faced backlash for using a slur during a live stream, an incident that nearly got her fired.
This controversy added another layer to the debates surrounding her career.
This is fun.
Oh hey, who’s the behind me?
Don’t do that please.
Some critics argue that Degan’s case exemplifies broader issues in Nascar.
As one commenter put it, Haley Degan is everything that is wrong with Nascar, and the numbers don’t lie.
They argue that her continued opportunities, despite poor performance, send the wrong message about what it takes to succeed in the sport.
However, not all comments are entirely negative.
One person claimed to listen to Degan’s radio communications regularly, reporting that she consistently complains about her car not turning properly.
They noted that while the feedback is there and the team is working.
Both Degan and the team really need to dig deep and work on things like: if you enjoyed the video, make sure to like And subscribe to Race Hub and share your insights in the comments below.