Toni Breidinger is NASCAR’s newest superstar. The 25-year-old will be competing for Tricon Garage in 2025, taking on a full-time Truck Series role. She’s no stranger to the spotlight thanks to her career as a model, but competing on the racetrack will present a whole new challenge for the California native, one that she is eager to tackle head-on. In an industry dominated by men, Breidinger is already breaking stereotypes through her performances, trailblazing her way through the motorsports world, and paving the way for future generations. In a recent appearance on the ‘Go with Your Palette’ podcast, she opened up on why she chose to race as her career, and it was all thanks to her father.

Toni Breidinger fell in love with racing instantly

Expectations are high from Breidinger. Why would they not be? The racer is the highest-performing female driver in ARCA history, finishing in fourth place with Venturini Motorsports in 2024. She’s also a part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, and her on-track results combined with celebrity status on social media have helped her secure some serious backing from sponsors such as Sunoco, CELSIUS, and Raising Cane’s. Giving her support along the way is Toyota Racing Development, who are helping her dreams turn into reality.

However, Toni Breidinger’s motorsports career only happened by chance. The California native owes it all to her father, who introduced her to the world of motorsports at a young age. From that point on, there was no stopping Briedinger, who went on to make a career as a racecar driver against all odds. Taking a trip down memory lane, the racer said, “I started racing very randomly, just tried go-karting for fun with my twin sister Anne. My dad just saw an advertisement for go-kart classes up at Sonoma Raceway. Tried it one weekend, both fell in love with it. Begged our dad for a go-kart. He has a background in mechanical engineering so he is familiar with like, the basics of, you know, work on a go-kart and everything. He was our mechanic and we just started going to the track every weekend and just run laps.”

In a sport such as NASCAR, it’s not uncommon for children to follow in their father’s footsteps and become a racecar driver. However, Breidinger was never pressured into pursuing a career in motorsports, despite showing an aptitude for racing from an early age. Go-karting was purely meant to be a recreational activity for the California native and her twin sister Anne, with Toni Breidinger saying, “It was really just kind of a family activity. Very chill. I don’t think my dad ever set out for me to be a racecar driver. Very much by choice. I was never pushed into it.”

Her love for racing is evident, going by Toni Briedinger’s results on the racetrack. She ended her debut Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway in 15th place, the highest finish for a female driver in the competition. However, a full-time role will not only test the racer on the track but also her skills in balancing a thriving modeling career with responsibilities at Tricon Garage. The No. 5 Toyota driver will want to focus on her own path, instead of taking inspiration from Hailie Deegan or Danica Patrick, and lay the groundwork to turn her immense potential into results on the track.

Breidinger busts a popular NASCAR myth with a candid confession

Toni Breidinger’s motorsports journey is unique. Apart from being a female in a male-dominated industry, the Arab-American racer also doesn’t come from a motorsports background, making her career choice a bizarre one given the circumstances. However, talent tends to shine through, irrespective of the circumstances, and the California native has climbed the motorsports ladder through sheer hard work and determination, busting myths and changing perceptions one step at a time. Her modeling career and social media presence have also helped secure big sponsors, who have helped Briedinger pursue her dreams.

Sharing details about her journey so far, Toni Breidinger said, “I always get asked, how did you get into it? I just went to my local go-kart track. I had no familiarity of racing at all, knew nothing about it. You can start with like no experience. It feels like maybe it seems like you need experience to get into it, because there are so many nepo babies in the sport. It’s like a very generational thing, like ‘Oh my grandpa did it or my dad did it. So I feel like maybe people think you need like someway in, but I moved to North Carolina without knowing anybody and somehow ended up here.”

NASCAR is known to be a sport where generations of successful families have built their legacies. Be it the Earnhardts, the Pettys, or even the Elliot’s, who have the current Most Popular Driver, Chase Elliott, representing them in the Cup Series. However, Breidinger is breaking this stereotype and forging her way to success in hopes of being the start of a new generation of racing excellence.

2025 will be a breakthrough season for Breidinger. While she has already made four appearances in the Truck Series, competing across an entire season will test her limits both physically and mentally. Will she rise to the occasion or wilt under the pressure weighing on her shoulders? Time will tell. However, her journey so far is commendable, and performing at a high level with Tricon Garage may eventually lead to a Cup Series seat one day. It may have been a long and difficult road for Toni Breidinger so far, but she’s only just getting started.