Toni Breidinger is set to join the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series full-time in 2025. The American driver will pilot the No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage, with the strong backing of Toyota.
This move follows her impressive tenure in the ARCA Menards Series, where, despite not securing a win during the 2024 season, Breidinger showcased her potential. Speaking about her transition, she revealed her rigorous off-season preparation.
During an interview with 5Goats, Breidinger shared:
“I’m definitely excited for that next step.
Obviously, there is going to be a learning curve with it, but Toyota’s been super supportive, and I’ve been preparing and like, grinding pretty hard during the off-season.”
Known for her positive outlook, Breidinger is determined to face the upcoming challenges head-on. Her primary goal? Securing the Rookie of the Year title. She elaborated:
“I’m definitely expecting the season to be tough; I think there’s going to be a lot of challenges. But I think [one goal] for me is resilience.
I know I’m going to be facing challenges, and I know I’m going to have to adapt to situations very quickly and learn a lot on the fly. So, I think for me, just being resilient, being a sponge, soaking everything up, and hopefully, [I can] get Rookie of the Year at the end of the season.”
Support within Tricon Garage plays a pivotal role in Breidinger’s journey, particularly from Corey Heim, who has been a mentor to her.
“I want to know his thought processes because obviously he’s so good, and it seems everything comes to him so naturally,” Breidinger said.
“So, I’m always like, ‘Corey, how do you do it?’ But I always bug him with a bunch of questions, and he’s been super helpful for me.”
Off the track, Breidinger’s influence continues to grow. With a social media following exceeding five million across Instagram and TikTok, she has cemented her status as the most engaged NASCAR driver online.
In addition to her racing career, Breidinger has built a successful modeling portfolio. She has appeared in campaigns for major brands and will feature in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
“Thankfully, I do enjoy doing all the side hustles and traveling and going to different events and working on social media,” Breidinger explained.
“But it all ties together, and, yeah, it’s interesting when drivers say they want to just focus on racing because I’m like, ‘how are you guys paying your bills?’
Honestly. Because I wouldn’t be able to race without my partners, and I want to do a good job for them on and off the track. So, it’s super important for me to be able to balance all of that.”
Breidinger’s combination of talent, determination, and branding acumen positions her as a rising star in NASCAR’s future.
