Hailie Deegan used a last-lap pass to win Saturday night’s K&N Pro Series West race at Meridian (Idaho) Speedway and become the first woman to win in series history.
Deegan passed Bill McAnally Racing teammate Cole Rouse entering Turn 1 on the last lap to take the lead. It was the only lap she led.
Deegan’s best previous finish had been second twice before in the series, including two weeks ago at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Deegan told Hometracks.NASCAR.com of the winning last-lap move:
“I was in bed last night thinking, ‘If it comes down, last lap, I’m in second, I’m a car length off of him, what am I going to do?’ And I found that Turn 1 spot. I knew what exactly I had to do there. I was doing it to some other people just getting right under them to get them a little light to get them, not wrecking loose, nothing crazy, but enough to just get a little under them and make the pass happen. We did that. I knew exactly what I had to do the last lap. I did it, we executed, and we made it happen.”
Rouse told Hometracks.NASCAR.com of the last lap: “We were going into Turn 1 … and she doesn’t lift and drives into me, gets me completely sideways. We were going to win that race if it was run clean, but unfortunately it wasn’t. I’m just going to go into the next two races, not give her any slack and we’re going to win both of those. It was a good night, but I don’t really care about second, honestly.”
The race is scheduled to air at 1 p.m. ET Friday (October 5) on NBCSN.
History.@HailieDeegan climbs out following her #Idaho208 victory @meridianspeed, the first win for a female in series history. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/MVPok6qakd
— NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) September 30, 2018
I can’t thank everyone enough! @ToyotaRacing @NAPARacing @BMR_NASCAR for taking a chance on me and making this dream come true! We’ve had our ups and downs, but everyone who has stuck behind me, my crew chief @_kevin_reed and all the crew guys, WE DID IT🏆 pic.twitter.com/LhB4mTui63
— Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) September 30, 2018
LAST GOAL ✅!!! WE DID IT pic.twitter.com/ypjJWDMDt9
— Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) September 30, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoVmqH2hxXt/?taken-by=hailiedeegan