Toni Breidinger walked into Daytona with big dreams. Not just any dreams, either—the kind that comes with being the first Arab-American woman to compete in NASCAR’s national series. The weight of history? Yeah, she felt it. The hopes of little girls around the world who see her as an icon and a trailblazer? Absolutely. Daytona was supposed to be her moment, her chance to prove she belonged. Instead, her night ended early—not with a fireworks-worthy finish, but with a crash that left her truck crumpled and her ambitions temporarily dented. She walked away unscathed, but the lesson was clear: superspeedway racing doesn’t care about your story. It’s brutal, and it doesn’t apologize.

But true to form, she’s already reflecting on what went wrong and how to fix it.

Breidinger’s respect for Daytona and a night of hard lessons

At 25, Breidinger’s no stranger to breaking barriers. Nineteen wins in USAC and a solid ARCA Menards Series record? Check. She’s proven she can handle herself on smaller stages. But Daytona is a whole different beast. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, and her first Truck Series race at the “World Center of Racing” turned out to be a baptism by fire—or, more accurately, by the wall. Toni Breidinger respects Daytona’s hallowed tarmac. How could she not? It’s a place where legends are made and dreams are crushed, often in the same lap. For her, it was a chance to make history. “I carry it with a lot of respect,” she said before the race. “It’s always cool to be the first, but I always say that I don’t want to be the last.”

The race started well enough. Breidinger took the opening laps cautiously, feeling out her No. 5 Toyota Tundra. But as the laps ticked by, things got tricky. “It was fun early, but there was a lot going on,” she said. “I was struggling for a little bit there. The truck was super free, so I wasn’t totally surprised by that.” Stuck between the top and bottom lanes, she had to make a call. “I was kind of married to the top lane because I felt like I was gonna die on the bottom,” she admitted. “Probably should have moved down there, but I thought I was just gonna bust my ass in the turn.”

Then, as it often does at Daytona, chaos struck. A stack-up in the top lane triggered a massive crash, and Breidinger was caught right in the middle of it. “I kind of saw it coming. I was trying to keep my space, and then I was like, I’m gonna tighten up the apple a little bit, and then everyone wrecked at that point,” she explained. “It was bad timing for that.” Her race was over, but she took it in stride. “A lot to learn, obviously,” she said with a smile. “Spun on pit road twice, so didn’t learn my lesson the first time. Something to work on there.”

While Breidinger’s night ended in heartbreak, the race itself was pure and classic Daytona drama. Parker Kligerman initially appeared to have clinched victory, but in true Daytona fashion, the drama wasn’t done. The post-race inspection found his No. 75 truck in violation, handing the win to Corey Heim much like Erik Jones’ lost win to Austin Cindric earlier in the week during the Cup series qualifying duels. “It’s certainly not as thrilling as winning the race on the racetrack,” Heim admitted. “But we’ll take them any way we can get them.”

Toni Faces a whole new challenge moving from ARCA to Trucks

Toni Breidinger’s road to the Truck Series hasn’t been a walk in the park, despite her experience in USAC and ARCA. “The biggest thing is adapting to new tracks and the packed schedule,” she said. “You don’t have much time to prepare. It’s like, the next weekend’s a new track, and then another new track. So, adapting really fast is going to be my biggest thing.” One of the biggest adjustments she’s had to make is to the trucks themselves. “The ARCA car is so much more planted and stable,” she explained. “The trucks move around a lot more, and they’re way more air-dependent.” Daytona made that difference painfully clear. “I got wrecked in the truck at Daytona, and I could feel the difference immediately. It’s just a whole new level of intensity.”

Her part-time Truck Series starts in 2023 gave her a taste of what to expect, but running full-time in 2025 is another animal entirely. “With the one-offs, it’s almost like it’s your one shot to make it or break it,” she said. “But with this, I feel like I can really focus on the bigger picture.” Her best Truck Series finish to date is 15th at Kansas Speedway, and she’s determined to improve from there. And let’s not forget, she’s juggling more than just racing. Breidinger’s also a successful model, with appearances in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue and campaigns for Victoria’s Secret.

Toni Breidinger’s Daytona debut may not have gone to plan, but it was a necessary step in her learning curve. “I’m excited for the challenge,” she said. “It’s not going to be easy, but that’s what makes it exciting.” As she moves forward in the Truck Series, her focus remains on growth and proving she belongs. “I’ve always said that I don’t want to be the last,” she reiterated. “I want to pave the way for others to follow.”

Daytona was just the start. With her talent, determination, and work ethic, Toni Breidinger is ready to carve out her place in NASCAR—one race at a time. And if Daytona taught her anything, it’s that the road ahead will be anything but smooth. But hey, that’s what makes it fun, right?