Whenever an athlete pursues ventures outside their primary field and results begin to suffer, those ventures often take the blame. For NASCAR’s Toni Breidinger, that is exactly what happened with her modeling career.
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After strong results in ARCA, she stepped into the Truck Series full-time last year. But the results have been thin, with just two top-20 finishes. The 2026 season began on a rough note when Breidinger failed to make the field at Daytona. That has fueled chatter among fans linking her modeling work to her on-track struggles, as if balancing both means losing grip on the wheel.
But in a chat on Samantha Busch’s YouTube channel, Breidinger stated that modeling is not just something she likes to do or just a side hobby. It is part of the struggle that keeps her racing dreams alive, helping her build ties with brands that can back her on track.
She explained, “For me, the modeling stuff kind of goes hand-in-hand with racing because I use that to help fund my racing career, because, as you probably know, it’s very expensive. So one, I do love it and it’s so fun to almost have like a different outlet that I could be like really creative with and kind of in a different just like a different world almost.
“So I love it, but at the same time, I will kind of spread myself thin to get it all done cuz I’m like, I need to do this so I can be able to go race. So, yeah, honestly, it’s so fun to kind of have both worlds to… I don’t think so either.
“And I feel like I’ll see stuff on social media. I try not to read comments, but I think people don’t get that. Like, yes, I like it, and I’m doing it for fun, but it’s not purely for fun. I quite literally need to go do this, or I can’t race,” she added.
Breidinger believes many fans miss the full picture. While some drivers rely on family backing, factory ties, or established sponsor pipelines, she has had to hustle for every mile. Much of her week is spent on the business side of racing, which she calls the toughest part of the sport.
That side rarely reaches the spotlight, as the deals, calls, travel, and meetings happen off camera. Breidinger admitted there are times she wishes people could see the work that fills her calendar week after week.
The Rackley W.A.R. driver also revealed that the exertion can blur the lines between the track and the runway. At times, she heads straight from a race to a shoot, with no pause to catch her breath. However, Breidinger avoids sounding like she is complaining, since she knows she is lucky to have these doors open, but the balancing act never lets up, and every lane still counts as work.
While she gets to attend events and step into rooms many only see online, Breidinger said those moments are rarely a vacation. The travel may look glossy from afar, but for her, it is all part of the job, held together by deadlines, deals, hustle, and the drive to stay on track.
