The No. 15 AM Racing Ford Mustang for the upcoming Xfinity Series race at the Chicago Street Course will be driven by a senior driver, a startling development for NASCAR fans. The youthful driver who has driven the vehicle for the entirety of the 2024 season, Hailie Deegan, will make way for two-time Cup Series winner Joey Logano.
The NASCAR community was shocked to hear AM Racing’s announcement on July 1. Rookie in the Xfinity Series Deegan, 22, has had a difficult season. Her highest finish was 12th at Talladega, indicating some potential. Still, altogether, her performance has left her at the bottom of the driver standings among those who have participated in every race.
According to a press release from AM Racing, the choice was made strategically to boost team output. As competitive as it has ever been, according to team president Wade Moore, is the Xfinity Series. “With that being said, we haven’t had the success on track that we were hoping for in the first half of the season.”
This brings us Logano, a driver with a stellar record that includes 30 victories in the Xfinity Series and a plethora of knowledge from all three NASCAR national series. With him joining the No. 15 vehicle, AM Racing hopes to take advantage of this chance to learn important lessons that will help them in the second half of the season. Logano agreed, stressing the importance of additional seat time and the special difficulties presented by the Chicago Street circuit.
AM Racing assures supporters that this is a temporary measure, even though some may see it as a demotion for Deegan. The group is determined to help Deegan reach her full potential and believes that the lessons learned from Logano’s experience will eventually help her—or whoever drives—achieve greater outcomes in the future.
NASCAR enthusiasts are debating the choice. Others consider it a severe setback to Deegan’s growth, wondering how one race with an experienced driver can so drastically affect her development. Others think AM Racing is taking advantage of the opportunity to learn from a champion and possibly pinpoint areas where the car’s setup or racing strategy needs to be improved.
Whatever your point of view, this driver switch adds a surprising twist to the upcoming Chicago Xfinity race. Given Deegan’s temporary absence, there are concerns about her future driving the No. 15 car, while Logano’s participation lends a layer of star power and expertise.
The performance of Logano in Deegan’s substitute will be closely watched this weekend at AM Racing. Will the team finish strong under his experienced leadership? Additionally, how can Deegan and AM Racing benefit from this experience going forward? You may be sure that the upcoming race in Chicago will be exciting, but only time will tell.