In March, Jade Avedisian was awarded victory in the zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model season-opener at New River All-American Speedway after T.J. DeCaire was disqualified for failing post-race inspection due to an issue with left-side weights.
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The result inscribed her name into the record books as the first female winner in CARS Tour history. While she competes in a series co-owned by veterans like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick, Avedisian draws inspiration from drivers outside that circle — specifically from the Cup teams Joe Gibbs Racing and Legacy Motor Club.
A Toyota GAZOO Racing development driver, Avedisian, recently appeared on The Dale Jr. Download, where she revealed that in order to excel, she focuses on the career trajectory of the drivers who have helped shape her mindset.
When asked by Earnhardt Jr. about whom she models her path after, Avedisian named Christopher Bell and John Hunter Nemechek.
“I would say Christopher Bell,” she said. “Obviously, he’s at the top of the top right now, and he kind of came from what I have been doing. He ran with Keith Kunz, many, many years and, I was with them, the past two years.” Avedisian added that she occasionally sees Bell at the gym and appreciates his grounded nature.
As for Nemechek, Avedisian said, “Same with John Hunter. I feel like I kind of look up to him as well. He doesn’t come from the dirt world, but same thing. I see him in the gym, and he’s always open for any of my questions, and he’s been in my situation. He’s been racing late models when he was young. So, he’s been through it.”
The biggest challenge Jade Avedisian is facing right now
Owing to her background in dirt racing, Avedisian acknowledged the difficulty of transitioning to asphalt Late Models. She explained that the biggest adjustment has been learning to drive off the right front instead of the right rear.
She’s so used to leaning on the right rear to turn that adjusting to the right front has been tough, but she is working on that front.
The 18-year-old driver said, “That’s definitely been the biggest learning curve. Bone’s been hard on me lately, but it’s good. I honestly can’t really figure it out right now.
“I can’t figure out how to mold my right front with me in qualifying. That’s definitely been our biggest struggle all year. I haven’t or I haven’t even qualified, I don’t think, really that great in any CARS Tour race.”
She also emphasized the importance of managing tire temperature, particularly during qualifying runs. Avedisian admitted that the road ahead will demand significant study and seat time over the next year to figure things out and improve.
The learning curve is steep. When it comes to race runs, whether in practice or under the green flag, she finds herself more comfortable and feels considerably better than she does in qualifying. It’s a gap she’s determined to close — one qualifying run at a time.
