16-year-old Hailie Deegan got her high school diploma, then raced in NASCAR
Best graduation day ever!
Hailie Deegan joins a very short list of high schoolers who have accepted their diploma and immediately jumped in a race car to compete in NASCAR.
Most people cross a stage to receive a high school diploma.
— Sonoma Raceway (@RaceSonoma) June 23, 2018
They just don't do it in a fire suit and immediately hop in a @NASCARHomeTrack race car to race. Congrats @HailieDeegan! #Carneros200 pic.twitter.com/YyQdRT92hW
Hailie, daughter of driver and X-Games star Brian Deegan, is a “NASCAR Next” driver, young athletes who have been earmarked to be future stars in the sport. On Saturday Hailie was set to graduate high school AND race in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West where she’s a rookie — so her plans merged and she got her diploma at the race track.
During driver introductions @HailieDeegan talks about how her nerves didn’t stop her from qualifying 3rd in today’s #Carneros200.
— NASCAR Home Tracks (@NASCARHomeTrack) June 23, 2018
Alongside her 3rd place qualifying the rookie also graduated high school on stage.
Congrats Hailie! pic.twitter.com/S3ypM8pT0L
Hailie is the only women currently a part of the NASCAR Next program, and finished 7th on Saturday — moving her into the Top 5 in the overall season standings.
Creepin up there https://t.co/rL0TDNPIlu
— Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) June 24, 2018
Remember Hailie Deegan’s name now, because we could be witnessing a future superstar in the sport.
Hailie’s day on Saturday was one very few are able to match. In 2017 Noah Gragson had a similarly bizarre graduation before taking part in the NASCAR truck series. Best graduation ever?