NASCAR
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John Moriello John Moriello Sports Editor John Moriello started covering sports in 1982, began digital publishing in 1995, and joined Sportscasting in 2020. A graduate of St. John Fisher University, he finds inspiration in the underdogs and the fascinating stories sports can tell (both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat). John expertly covers all aspects of NASCAR.Beginning with his 2014 coverage at Fox Sports of the aftermath of the dirt-race tragedy in which Kevin Ward Jr. died after being struck by a car driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, John has excelled as a journalist who specializes in the motorsports world. He previously spent more than three decades covering high school sports and worked as a beat writer covering Big East football and basketball, but NASCAR is now where the true expertise falls.John is a member of the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame (2013), the President of the New York State Sportswriters Association, and a two-time Best of Gannett winner for print and online collaborations whose work has appeared on FoxSports.com and MaxPreps.com. All posts by John Moriello 
Updated12 Sep 2022
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Kevin Harvick turned up the heat (no pun intended, considering his car fire at Darlington) last week regarding multiple aspects of driver safety in the NASCAR Cup Series.
His comments came after a number of drivers had spoken up in recent weeks about how the hits they’ve absorbed in the first season of the Next Gen car have been among the hardest of their careers.
It turns out drivers aren’t immune to soreness brought on by wrecking in other series. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor Hailie Deegan used the break between playoff races to race Crown Victorias in the Bristol 1000 on Sept. 4, and it ended badly for her from both a competitive and physical standpoint.
Hailie Deegan calls wreck ‘the hardest hit I’ve ever had’
HUUUGE WRECK IN THE #Bristol1000!!! @HailieDeegan got caught up with Kevin, Cleetus, Finnegan, Demo Matt, and others after less than 20 laps! #CleetusandCars @BMSupdates pic.twitter.com/VaHvOJ9FnH
— Leonard Motorsports Marketing (@Official_LMM_) September 4, 2022
Sitting in a disappointing 21st place with four races to go, Hailie Deegan is unlikely to match her 17th-place showing from her rookie campaign in the 2021 truck series. The development puts a damper on her ambition to move up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2023, though she carries enough sway with sponsors to keep that door open.
If Xfinity Series crashes are as nasty as the one she experienced over Labor Day weekend during her most recent race in a car, then Deegan might want to reconsider and try sticking with trucks.
Deegan was competing in the Cleetus & Cars Bristol 1000 on the beloved Bristol Motor Speedway’s 0.533-mile facility. It shoulkd have gone 100 laps, but Deegan didn’t make it past the first 20. While battling for the lead in the No. 14 Crown Vic, she came out of a turn with two competitors to her inside. Those cars hooked and collected Deegan, turning her to a 45-degree angle into the outer wall.
Half a dozen others coming up behind got caught in the aftermath, but Deegan’s car was among the most severely damaged.
Deegan posted to her YouTube channel the following day, announcing, “That was the hardest hit I’ve ever had.”
Sitting low in the relatively large car, Deegan briefly thought the driver next to her was going to be able to save it after the initial contact. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and she paid the price.
“My knees hit so much s***,” she said, “and then the knee that I messed up at Millbridge, it hit the bottom of the steering column. That hurt so bad.”
What’s next for Hailie Deegan?
Hailie Deegan, who drives the No. 1 Ford for David Gilliland Racing, followed up her mishap in the Bristol 1000 by finishing 22nd in the NASCAR truck series race at Kansas Raceway.
Deegan didn’t qualify for the playoffs, but Kansas pared the championship field from 10 competitors to eight. The field is back in action on Thursday at Bristol.
The next races are Oct. 1 at Talladega and Oct. 22 at Homestead-Miami, after which the Championship 4 will be set for the finale at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 4.
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RELATED: Is Hailie Deegan’s Ride at Risk After the Shakeup at David Gilliland Racing?
