History was created by Toyota Racing. In a post uploaded on Instagram, the team announced that they will be featuring four iconic women, Toni Breidinger, Isabella Robusto, Taylor Reimer, and Amber Balcaen, in a single race. Known as the trailblazers in the world of motorsports, all four drivers have created a name for themselves through sheer talent and hard work, paving the way for women to not just be accepted in the racing community but celebrated.

To promote inclusion in the racing world, Toyota has been undertaking plenty of campaigns in the last few years, such as Ladylike, a TV spot released on May 3rd earlier this year, following last year’s ‘Sisterhood of Speed.’ Both spots featured plenty of recognizable names with an emphasis on encouraging more female participation in motorsports.

An insight into Toyota Racing’s driver lineup

Toyota Racing featuring four of the most iconic female drivers in one team for a single race is unprecedented.

• Toni Breidinger, who is competing full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, was the record holder of the most United States Auto Club (USAC) wins for a female driver with 19, before her record was broken by Jessica Bean. The 25-year-old driver also competes in the East and West Series for Venturini Motorsports, as well as the Truck Series for Tricon Garage. She has featured in plenty of campaigns for Toyota Racing in the past, featuring in both Sisterhood of Speed and Ladylike for the racing team.
• Known for being the first female driver to win a Legend Car National Qualifier event in Texas in 2018, Isabella Robusto has been a prominent figure in Toyota Racing. At 19, she has been a part of the Drive for Diversity program with Rev Racing from 2016 to 2021. Currently, she drives the No. 55 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series.

• As for Amber Balcaen, at 32, she competes for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series. She is the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the U.S., which she achieved at Motor Mile Speedway. Balcaen also won the Rookie of the Year award in 2016 and repeated her victory at the same track the following year. Her success has paved the way for other Canadian female drivers.
• Taylor Reimer is comparatively a lesser-known name in the motorsports world, especially in comparison to her Toyota Racing teammates. The Oklahoman native’s primary goal is to break female stereotypes in racing and become a NASCAR driver one day. She began her racing journey by driving 50-cc go-karts, and after winning the championship, she moved on to Jr. Sprints at Port City Raceway. The 24-year-old also won multiple races when she moved to Restricted Winged Micros and is the winningest female in the history of Port City Raceway.

All things considered, Toyota Racing’s all-female lineup is a step in the right direction for the racing team. By uniting some of the most iconic names in the world of motorsports, it would not only generate media attention but encourage more women to consider motorsports as a viable career option. While not being a part of the four-member lineup, Jade Avedisian has also been playing her part after joining Toyota Racing’s driver development program in 2023.

Jade Avedisian is inspiring the next generation of girls

Unlike most sports, the racing world is one of the few ways men and women can race with, and against each other at the same time. Thanks to drivers like Jade Avedisian, more girls and women are taking up motorsports as a career option. While there is always a loud minority who might have a regressive outlook when it comes to who gets to participate, Avedisian is focused on her performances while being unconcerned by the noise on social media.

Speaking about giving it her all on the racetrack and proving her doubters wrong, Jade Avedisian said, “We race a lot so I think it’s obviously a lot and my job is to do the best I can every single weekend. I try to do the best I can, I try to compete the best I can. I do think it’s really cool when little girls come up to me and say I inspired them to start racing. It’s hard to put feelings into words but I remember when I was a little kid I would always go up to people and I just always kind of dreamed of racing one day in any type of car. For it to be kind of flipped now is super special to me.”

When Avedisian is not tearing it up on the dirt track, the racing driver is working towards her ultimate goal of making it into NASCAR. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of other dirt racing drivers who transitioned to stock car racing, with the likes of Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Briscoe paving the path for her. Avedisian certainly has the talent to make it to the highest level; it remains to be seen if she can fulfill her potential and inspire an entire generation along with it.

What are your thoughts about Toyota Racing’s all-female driver lineup? Let us know in the comments!