19YO ARCA Rookie Dissects Her Unprecedented NASCAR Journey Ahead of Phoenix Debut

Isabella Robusto’s jump into the ARCA Menards Series was put on hold for almost a year. In January 2023, Venturini Motorsports announced they were bringing the young Toyota Development Driver (TD2), Isabella Robusto, onto their 2023 squad. But a wrench was thrown in the works when the South Carolina native got a concussion during a Pro Late Model wreck at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway in April, sidelining her for the better part of the year. This meant all the ARCA races she was lined up for with Venturini Motorsports had to be canceled. Now, gearing up to finally make her NASCAR debut in ARCA at 19, Robusto hit up Twitter to share a cool snippet from her days before racing became her world.

Isabella Robusto got motivated to pursue a career in motorsports after Jack Irving Jr gave her a reply on Twitter

Isabella Robusto is excited as she gears up for Friday’s General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway, marking her entry into the ARCA Menards Series and kicking off the West Series season. After waiting eagerly for this day, she’s fired up to show what she’s got on a big stage.

Recently, she took to Twitter to share a personal tale that fueled her drive for motorsports. “Back in 2018. David Wilson responded to a tweet that was talking about the future of female drivers in NASCAR. He said, “Perhaps the most literal interpretation of kids driving NASCAR. Thanks, Jack Irvingjr and Tyler TRD for the vision and leadership.”And I responded with… “I want this, I’ll work hard. Learn all I can, and always raise to win. And hopefully, I can be considered for this awesome program one day.” And then that’s when Jack Irvingjr responded, you’re next kid. Since I was five years old, I always loved racing. Starting in Go Karts, to band-as, to legendary cars, plate models, and going to races, watching races on TV.”

She also mentioned her admiration for racing legends Jimmy Johnson and Danica Patrick, inspired by their achievements. Now, on the brink of her NASCAR debut, she reflects, “I guess you could say – dreams really do come true.”

Even the NASCAR insider, Brett Griffin, could not resist appreciating the story, saying, “What an amazing story! Best of luck.”

Not to mention, originally, Robusto was all set to jump into her first ARCA race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in May, with a plan that had her tackling a mix of short tracks, road courses, and even an intermediate track. But those plans hit a snag due to the lingering effects of her concussion. Every time she tried to get back behind the wheel, she’d find herself dizzy, struggling with her hand-eye coordination, or having trouble keeping her balance – all of which put a damper on her comeback timeline.

Robusto, however, didn’t let this setback keep her away from the racetrack. Faced with this challenge, she leaned heavily on every resource available to make sure she’d be race-ready the moment she got the green light.

But she’s not going to be the only woman on the track at Phoenix this weekend. She’ll be sharing the starting line with two other female drivers.

Three women will make starts for Venturini in the NASCAR ARCA Series

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Isabella Robusto couldn’t have asked for a better squad to kick off her ARCA career than with Venturini Motorsports. This team is top-notch in the series, known for supporting up-and-coming female racers with a bunch of cars under its wing.

Joining her on the team are Toni Breidinger and Amber Balcaen, both of whom are going full throttle this season. So, this weekend in Phoenix, it’s a triple threat with three women from Venturini revving up in the ARCA Menards Series West opener.

Robusto, hitting the short track, is definitely one to keep an eye on. Despite her forced break from racing last year due to a concussion, don’t count the 19-year-old out just yet.

Read More: “Recovery Seemed Like It Would Never Come”- 19-YO ARCA Highlights Troubling Ordeal of Female Concussions That Brad Keselowski Also Endorses

Venturini Motorsports, ready to nurture Robusto’s racing chops, boasts a winning history in the series. Being part of Toyota Racing Development’s (TRD) driver development program, Venturini offers all the tools and know-how Robusto needs to navigate her rookie season in ARCA.

“We are thrilled to have Isabella at VMS. She has been in the TD2 program for a few years and we have tested with her at the TRD combine test. She showed very well and we’re expecting her to have a solid debut. I’m looking forward to working with her for years to come,” said team boss Billy Venturini.