Toni Breidinger has been breaking barriers for years, but her latest move is taking her to a whole new level. The 25-year-old has officially signed on to drive Tricon Garage’s No. 5 Toyota full-time in the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series. It’s a huge step for the rising star, but as Toni shared recently, she’s not taking the challenge lightly—especially after getting a taste of just how intense the Truck Series can be.

In a chat with NASCAR SiriusXM Radio, Toni opened up about her first experiences in the series and her plans to get up to speed before Daytona next season. Let’s just say, the aggression on the grid definitely made an impression.

“That was intense”: Facing the Truck series challenge

If you think the Truck Series is all about big rigs and bumper-to-bumper action, you’re not wrong. Toni Breidinger got her first real taste of that energy this past season during a few part-time starts, and the learning curve hit her hard.

“Trucks are obviously that next step up, so there’s going to be a learning curve,” she explained. “But running Daytona this year and a few starts last year gave me a feel for what to expect next season if I went full-time.”

What caught her off guard the most? The flat-out aggression of her competitors. “I remember my very first truck race—everyone was just full speed ahead. Already so aggressive,” she said. “It caught me off guard a bit. I dropped back and was like, ‘Wow, that was a very intense restart.’”

The competition didn’t just come down to who could push the pedal hardest. The aerodynamic chess game in the Truck Series added a whole new layer to the challenge. “The drivers really know how to manipulate air,” Toni said. “Learning about dirty air and how it affects your truck—that was a big takeaway for me. It was such an eye-opener.”

Now, with her full-time ride locked in, Toni’s putting everything she learned to work. “Toyota and Tricon have really made me feel confident they can help me bridge the gap this offseason,” she said. “I’m going to be grinding hard to make sure I’m ready to go as soon as the season starts.”

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Toni’s trailblazing journey

Landing a full-time Truck Series seat is the next big milestone in Toni Breidinger’s incredible racing journey. After making 65 starts in the ARCA Menards Series, she racked up four top-five finishes and ended the 2024 season fourth in the standings. Now, she’s ready to step up to NASCAR’s third-highest level.

“It’s been a 15-year process to get here, but I’m so excited for this moment and ready to capitalize on it,” she said.

But Toni’s story isn’t just about what she’s done on the track. She’s been a trailblazer from the start, becoming the first Arab-American woman to compete in a NASCAR-sanctioned event back in 2021. That milestone earned her the Drive for Diversity Developmental Series Driver Award, and her story has grabbed national attention, with appearances on TODAY, Good Morning America, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

And if that wasn’t enough, Toni’s made waves off the track, too. She’s modeled for major brands like Gap, Victoria’s Secret, and Free People. Oh, and she also became the first NASCAR driver to be featured in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue. No big deal, right?

With sponsors like Raising Cane’s, Celsius, and Sunoco backing her, Toni Breidinger is ready to take on the 2025 season. The first race? Daytona on February 14—circle your calendars.

“Racing full-time with Tricon is a dream for me,” she said. “This is just the beginning, and I’m ready to go all in.”

Whether she’s making history on the track or turning heads off it, Toni Breidinger is trying to prove she’s more than up for the challenge. And with a full-time Truck Series ride on the horizon, she’ll be hoping to catapult her name into the stratosphere.