Hailie Deegan will substitute for Tony Kanaan in two SRX Series races as scheduling conflicts will prevent Kanaan from competing on June 19 at Knoxville Speedway and July 10 at Slinger Speedway.

“Tony Kanaan is going to bring a lot to the Camping World SRX Series, both in terms of talent and personality,” said series co-founder Ray Evernham.

“We’d love to have him for all six races, but we’re also not going to complain about having him for four. It did, however, allow us the opportunity to find another strong personality who has shown that she’s not afraid to race door-to-door for the win. Hailie Deegan has won on the style of tracks where SRX is racing, and now she has the opportunity to win against some of the biggest names in motorsports.”

“It’s an honor to be a part of SRX and I’m grateful for the chance,” Deegan said. “I love racing. I started when I was eight in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series and, for the last five years, I’ve been on pavement working my way up the racing ladder. The challenge of SRX really appeals to me. Competing on different tracks – asphalt and dirt – with other drivers from all sorts of disciplines is a unique opportunity that doesn’t come around every day.”

Kanaan is committed to the four other races in the six-race short-track series, beginning with the June 12 series debut at Stafford Motor Speedway. After Stafford, Kanaan will race on June 26 at Eldora, July 3 at Lucas Oil Raceway and then July 17 in the season finale at the Nashville (Tenn.) Fairgrounds Speedway.

“I feel like other people driving my car is the story of my season,” said Kanaan, who is sharing an IndyCar with Jimmie Johnson, running all the ovals while Johnson runs all the road and street courses. “Obviously, I want to race the full SRX schedule, but I have two commitments I cannot break. I really appreciate everyone’s flexibility, because when I first heard about SRX, I was the first one to raise my hand and loudly say I wanted to be a part of it. I’m happy that Hailie Deegan gets to enjoy this experience too because it really is a great opportunity for all of us.”