Familiar Shoes
After a short break from stock car racing to pursue open-wheel competition, Hailie Deegan is back with familiar faces. The Temecula, Calif., native will return to the ARCA Menards Series West (AMSW) with Bill McAnally Racing (BMR) for the 2026 season. Deegan launched her progression through the NASCAR ranks at BMR, where she took her first major step on the national radar from 2017-19. The pairing produced three wins and 13 top-five finishes across two AMSW seasons. Deegan’s return to BMR is a strategic move to reestablish comfort and compete to win races on a weekly basis.
Kern Raceway History
This Saturday’s Oil Workers 150 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway marks the fourth start for Deegan at the half-mile high banked oval. She owns an average finish of 5.3, including the 2018 season finale, when she started on the pole and led 26 laps before finishing sixth. BMR showed significant speed during that same period, racking up six-consecutive wins. Deegan’s experience gained since her first stint with BMR in NASCAR should help propel her toward early-season success beginning Saturday night at Kern Raceway.
Looking Forward to 2026
The AMSW tour features 13 races on the 2026 calendar, including two visits to Bakersfield, Calif. The 11-time AMSW championship team is excited to welcome both Deegan and Mason Massey for the 2026 season. Both drivers bring experience from NASCAR’s national divisions to ARCA West as they chase the team’s 12th championship.
Tune In
Coverage from Bakersfield, Calif. begins at 7:45 p.m. ET on FloRacing for the season opener. Stay connected with the No. 16 NAPA Auto Care team by following @BMR_NASCAR on Twitter, @bmr_nascar on Instagram and Bill McAnally Racing on Facebook.
Hailie Deegan:
“I’m so excited to get back racing in a stock car, especially being able to race in my home state of California with BMR again. I’ve always loved Kern Raceway, so the plan is to go out there and hopefully compete for a win. We tested at Kern last week with our NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet and had a productive day, so hopefully that translates to the race and we can start our season off strong.”