With about 45 laps to go, Hailie Deegan’s thrilling throwback to Dale Earnhardt’s 1982 Darlington win ended with her third DNF of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Decked out in the iconic Wrangler Blue and Yellow paint scheme, AM Racing’s #15 Airbox Ford was visually unrecognizable almost, after a “ghost tire blowout” left many frustrated with Deegan’s failed attempt at an ‘Intimidating’ tribute.
But with Darlington’s Xfinity spectacle conclusion alongside an inaugural 2024 win for Justin Allgaier, Deegan’s ‘duly expected’ critics were loud to voice their frustrations. And in an uncharacteristic social media outburst, AM Racing’s #15 rookie lashed out at her “uninformed” haters, suggesting a specific source to blame for all the post-race confusions.
After Deegan blew her left rear tire in the final stage of the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington, fans were understandably in disdain, with many pointing their fingers solely at the #15 Ford driver for a seemingly ‘self-inflicted’ incident. Moreover, FOX’s confusing live broadcast replay and social media clip of the event’s fourth caution had many scratching their heads over the true cause of Deegan’s disappointments at Darlington.
As is the nature of the unknown in NASCAR, fans were quick and harsh to break down the assumed reason for the only contact-related yellow of the race until that point, with most spewing words of antagonism against Hailie Deegan. However, the first female driver to have won races in the ARCA West Series had an apt explanation for all her haters.
