NASCAR has seen only a few female drivers grace its tracks — Danica Patrick, now retired, Hailie Deegan, who was part of the Xfinity Series until 2024 mid-season, and Toni Breidinger, set to pilot the #5 truck for Tricon Garage full-time starting in 2025. Yet, none of these trailblazers have clinched a win in NASCAR races.
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Looking ahead, there’s hope that a female driver could break through this barrier. While Toni Breidinger has her accolades, including the 2016 USAC Speed2 Western US Asphalt Midget Series Championship, Bryson is making waves in the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship racing. Hence, Bryson might just be the one to watch for future victories in case she makes it to NASCAR.
On May 18, 2024, the 23-year-old Oklahoman, carved her name into racing history by winning her first USAC National Series feature race victory at the USAC Silver Crown Hucovsky Classic held at Belleville High Banks.
Bryson seized the lead with just 16 laps remaining after the frontrunner, Brady Bacon, was sidelined by mechanical failures. She then skillfully held off C.J. Leary, who made a dramatic surge from 24th place to challenge her lead.
Earlier that evening, Bryson had already etched her name in the record books by becoming the first woman in the 54-year history of the series to secure a pole position for a USAC Silver Crown event, setting the stage for her historic win.
Best night of my life… WE WON!!! pic.twitter.com/xhBkN3pOVq
— Kaylee Bryson (@kaylee11b) May 19, 2024
Bryson marked her entry into the USAC Silver Crown Series with Sam Pierce Racing (SPR) on June 18, 2022, and by December of that year, she had committed to competing full-time with SPR for the 2023 season.
Her first season concluded with a P5 finish in the USAC Silver Crown standings, making her the first female driver to be named Rookie of the Year in the history of the series.
Bryson also made history as the first female driver to qualify for the Chili Bowl Nationals A-Main in 2022. She returned to the Chili Bowl in 2024, racing for Sammy Swindell’s Swindell-Bertrand Motorsports.
This time around, her preliminary performance relegated her to starting from an F-Main race, and she was unable to progress beyond the E-Main.
