“It’s all part of the business”: Toni Breidinger breaks down how ‘side hustles’ complement her NASCAR journey

Toni Breidinger opened up about balancing her Truck Series career with her modeling ventures. The TRICON Garage driver explained how she's a 'racer before anything' and uses her brand deals to fund her motorsports journey.

The 26-year-old is of German-Lebanese descent and has paired up with various brands like Raising Cane's, Coach, Dave & Buster's, Victoria's Secret, and 818 Tequila. Moreover, she has also posed for Gla mour, GQ, and Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition.

Reflecting on her modelling career, Breidinger spoke to the Los Angeles Times and said,

“I was definitely a racer before anything. That was definitely my passion. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do modeling to help support that passion. But at the end of the day, I definitely consider myself a racer. That’s what I grew up doing and that’s the career I’ve always wanted to do.”

"It’s all part of the business. It all goes back into my racing. The side hustles, I like to call them. I don’t think that takes away from me being a race car driver,” she added.

Toni Breidinger recently spoke to Motorsport.com and shared how her racing career hinges on such brand deals.

“When people say that doing brand deals affects my performance, I’m like, ‘No, you know what affects my performance? Not being able to race because I can’t afford it," she said.

Sponsorship is vital to land a seat in NASCAR's feeder series. Reigning Cup Series champion Joey Logano criticized the pay-to-play model, citing that even he has to 'show up with money on the doorstep' to run an Xfinity or Truck Series race.

A rather unintended side-effect of the system is that drivers are held less accountable for their on-track actions. Since they're guaranteed a seat as long as they bring in sponsors, they may race more aggressively or place among the backmarkers without any fear of long-term consequences. While the extra wiggle room allows a driver to develop, it often leaves them unprepared for the Cup Series.

That said, Toni Breidinger has managed to leverage her marketability for a full-time seat in the Truck Series, two years after her debut in 2023.

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A look at Toni Breidinger's season so far

Driving the #5 Toyota, Toni Breidinger has struggled to make her mark in her rookie season. Barring an 18th-place finish at Rockingham Speedway, Breidinger has finished 20th or lower in her 16 starts so far.

Her qualifying hasn't been better either. Recording an average start of 25, she had her best start at 18th in Atlanta. She finished two laps behind in her last race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In contrast, her TRICON Garage teammate Corey Heim has led a dominant season at the top of the standings. Breidinger currently ranks 22nd with a 535-point deficit to her 23-year-old teammate.

With two races left in the regular season, Breidinger is well out of playoff contention, unless she can pull off a surprise win.

Next up, Toni Briedinger heads to Watkins Glen International for 72 laps on the road course. Fans can watch the race on FS1 on Friday, August 8, at 5 PM ET.