We all know the dejection that flooded an Xfinity garage this year. Hailie Deegan debuted in NASCAR’s second tier with AM Racing and ran into a dead end. Her season was marred by disappointing finishes – she clinched four 20th or better spots through 17 races. Deegan’s three-year stint in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was far from impressive – she earned 6 top-tens and 1 top-five. Now, another female driver is getting ready to replace her – Toni Breidinger.

The first Arab-American female driver has been taking big strides. As if her decorated USAC and impressive ARCA Menards Series careers were not enough, Breidinger is a major social media icon. She appeared in Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit campaigns recently. Both her racing and popularity pursuits might revolutionize the female presence in NASCAR.

What sets Toni Breidinger apart from other female drivers?

The San Francisco, California native embarked on her passion for racing at the age of 9, wheeling a go-kart. Growing up in the Golden State, Toni Breidinger quickly excelled in local competitions. She switched to open-wheel racing at age 15, then stock car racing at age 19. What followed was a glittering career. In the United States Auto Club (USAC), she became the winningest female driver with 19 victories.

Competing in the ARCA Menards Series full-time in 2022 and 2024, she also clinched more top-ten finishes than any other female driver – 27. Now she is preparing to replace Dean Thompson behind the wheel of the No. 5 Tricon Garage Toyota Tundra in the Craftsman Truck Series. So even as we lie in the shadow of Hailie Deegan’s dishonorable exit, another star is ready to take her place, or even surpass her.

In a recent YouTube video, NASCAR expert Eric Estepp outlined how Toni Breidinger’s driving prowess is decent. “Her ARCA numbers aren’t great. She was 4th in points this last year, that’s okay. But when you consider she’s in top equipment and couldn’t manage at single top-five finish, couldn’t lead a single lap – that’s not great. She has made a few Truck Series starts – finished 15th in her debut in Kansas last year in Tricon Garage equipment last year. Hey, that’s not bad. She’s an okay driver. 25 years old – she’s not super young, but maybe there’s still something she can find, improve a little bit.”

What makes Breidinger’s performance in the ARCA Menards Series particularly impressive is not her fourth place finish. Compared to Deegan, the fourth place is still lower than Deegan‘s best points tally in the league. It’s the consistency Breidinger brought when it came to racing. For three years, she consistently finished within the top 10 in terms of points standings, with 6th, 9th, and 4th in 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively.

Interestingly, Toni Breidinger fetched a top-15 in her Craftsman Truck debut in Kansas, the same race where Hailie Deegan finished 12th. Pair that remarkable early success with Breidinger’s gigantic following, and you may have a recipe of success greater than Deegan’s. Estepp continued, “There’s been a huge marketing push behind Toni Breidinger…She’s massive on Tiktok – has 2.6 million followers on Instagram – that’s a million more followers than Hailie Deegan. Chase Elliott, the Most Popular Cup Series driver, has less than half a million followers.” She’s also a model, appearing in high-profile campaigns for brands such as GAP, Victoria’s Secret, and Free People.

The level of visibility Breidinger brings can be crucial in attracting sponsors, especially for a small team. Here, the advantage she brings can even be greater than what a Cup Series driver can pull!

However, Toni Breidinger does not just boast a social media army.

A NASCAR veteran saw a spark in her

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When Toni Breidinger’s career upgrade hit the internet, the response was far from fuzzy. Fans bashed Tricon Garage’s new selection, considering the team’s championship-contending drivers already present. Corey Heim came within a hair’s breadth of winning the 2024 championship, and Tanner Gray clinched 5 top-tens this year. People compared her with Danica Patrick, the only female driver to run Cup Series races full-time – but she never won a race. However, a NASCAR veteran held quite a different view. Shannon Rursch has been a crew chief for two decades, working with stars like Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs.

Rursch had the privilege to work with both Danica Patrick and Toni Breidinger. And his verdict tilted in favor of the latter in a 2023 interview. “I feel like she’s probably a little bit better than Danica Patrick if you want my honest opinion. I had an opportunity to work briefly with Danica when I was at Turner Motorsports, and she drove in the Xfinity Series. I’ve had an opportunity to work with Toni here at Venturini for a couple of years now. Every time she gets behind the wheel, she’s improving, she’s getting better. She does a great job and doesn’t put herself in bad situations. And her race craft has certainly improved. So there is a bright future ahead of her, no question.”

Not all expectations are bleak for the next NASCAR female star racer. As 2025 rolls into view, we cannot wait to see what Toni Breidinger has in store for us.