The Sports Illustrated Model possessing NASCAR by Storm, Toni Breidinger, explains how Dave & Buster's partnership a full-circle experience.
Off to the races comes Toni Breidinger. Ultimately, the 26-year-old is halfway through her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut season. But in order to attain this significant milestone, she had to balance her modeling job with her racing career.
“Every week is different, every day is different,” In an exclusive interview, Breidinger revealed. “So, just giving myself grace with my schedule. This week was race week, so I had a lot of focus on race prep, but last week I was in LA doing appearances and then New York.”
In addition to being the first woman to finish two NASCAR races in a single day and having the most top 10 finishes in the 2024 ARCA Menards Series, Breidinger recently made history by being the first NASCAR driver to appear in Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit edition. She also offers advice for those who aspire to be like her.
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As the racing driver emphasized, "Do not be afraid to be the first you." “I think it’s so easy to compare yourself to other people’s path and journey. My path was not traditional at all, and that’s okay that it doesn’t look like someone else’s. That doesn’t mean it’s the wrong path. And just because you haven’t seen somebody fit that mold before, that’s fine, just do your thing and embrace your own journey.”
Taking advantage of the chance to unwind off the track has been essential for Breidinger, who also had to embrace the demanding schedule. “I love my self-care routine,” she clarified. “In the past, I’ve had people say, ‘Take time for yourself like or you’ll get burnout.’ For me, it’s hard to take a full day out of my schedule for self-care, but I found that even just the little moments like doing my skincare routine, I love that I feel like it’s very grounding, helps you be present.”
“When I was younger, I never had off weekends from races,” she stated. “Me and my twin sister, Annie, would just go to Dave & Busters for fun in the Bay Area, so when this opportunity came about, I was like, ‘100 percent yes.’ This is a very full circle moment for me, and very nostalgic.”
As Breidinger's earliest recollections include kart races with her father and sister, racing has actually always been a family affair for her. “We’d go up to the kart tracks every weekend, and we just kind of started travelling to different races together on road trips,” she remembered. “So, it was very much a way for my dad to spend time with his two daughters.”
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