Hailie Deegan, NASCAR Xfinity and Truck series’ rising star and social media sensation just made huge waves in the world of motorsports when she jumped ships to go race in the Indy NXT series. This move from the world of stock car racing to its cousins, sleek machines with no fenders, is a bold gamble. One that has sparked debate about her ambition, the opportunity, and about her chasing her new dream.

Deegan’s journey so far in the world of motorsports has been nothing but conventional. While her competitors in Indy NXT have been mastering the art right from the grassroots level since they were 5-6 years old. She, on the other hand, started on the dirt in the world of off-road racing. From off-road racing, they went into the world of NASCAR, becoming the first female driver to win a race in the K&N Pro Series West. From the West series, she ventured into the cutthroat world of NASCAR, driving for AM Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

But as she tackles the road courses on her Indy NXT race on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, there is one person who is feeling the weight of her decision more than anyone else in the world. Her father, a legend of the motorsports world, Brian Deegan.

It’s no secret to anyone that the world of racing is dangerous for anyone out there on the track, but there is something about the world of open-wheel racing that sends chills down the spines of everyone, especially the parents of the racers on the track. And that is what Brian Deegan admitted as his daughter made her open-wheel debut, summarizing the feeling of watching her race as, “nerve-wracking.”