Hailie Deegan will compete in two races in the Camping World SRX Series, a short-track series created by Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham.
Deegan will compete at Knoxville (Iowa) on June 19 and at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin on July 10 in place of tony Kanaan who has scheduling conflicts.
“Tony Kanaan is going to bring a lot to the Camping World SRX Series, both in terms of talent and personality. We’d love to have him for all six races, but we’re also not going to complain about having him for four,” Evernham said in a release. “It did, however, allow us the opportunity to find another strong personality who has shown that she’s not afraid to race door-to-door for the win. Hailie Deegan has won on the style of tracks where SRX is racing and now she has the opportunity to win against some of the biggest names in motorsports.”
Kanaan has been sharing the No. 48 IndyCar with Jimmie Johnson this season. He will race in the June 12 race at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, as well as June 26 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, July 3 at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis, and then July 17 in the season finale at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
“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 is a unique opportunity that doesn’t come around every day.”
Deegan has been competing full-time in the Camping World Truck Series.
“I feel like other people driving my car is the story of my season,” Kanaan said in a release. “Obviously, I want to race the full SRX schedule, but I have two commitments I cannot break. I really appreciate everyone’s flexibility, because when I first heard about SRX, I was the first one to raise my hand and loudly say I wanted to be a part of it. I’m happy that Hailie Deegan gets to enjoy this experience too because it really is a great opportunity for all of us.”
