Behind The Wheel With Toni Breidinger: What The Daytona 500 Really Feels Like

As engines rev up ahead of the Daytona 500, Toni Breidinger is offering fans a rare look at what life is really like behind the wheel at one of racing’s most iconic tracks. Ahead of her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Seriesseason opener, the 24-year-old trailblazer isn’t just preparing to race at nearly 200 miles per hour, but she is also clocking in for a Raising Cane’s shift and pulling back the curtain on the intensity, pressure, and adrenaline that fans don’t always see from the stands.

Toni Breidinger, who made history as the first Arab American female driver to compete in NASCAR and enters the 2026 season with a new team and new momentum, is proving that racing at Daytona is anything but calm.

From the outside, NASCAR racing can appear smooth and controlled. Behind the wheel, Breidinger says it’s a completely different story. “I mean, if I was to explain to somebody who hasn’t been behind the wheel before, the first thing I say is, it’s not like driving down the highway,” she said at the press conference in which The Blast attended.

At Daytona, speeds push the limits, and so does the driver. “You’re going at speeds close to 200 miles per hour,” Breidinger explained. “You’re inches away from the wall, inches away from other cars.”

According to Breidinger, the car is constantly reacting to wind and airflow, and the physical demands are relentless. “It doesn’t drive like a normal car,” she said, adding that even braking is vastly different from what everyday drivers experience.

While races may look controlled on television, Breidinger says drivers are working nonstop behind the scenes. “As a spectator, it looks like everything’s calm for the most part,” she said. “But we’re working the wheel and everything.”

That constant motion, combined with tight pack racing and high speeds, makes Daytona especially intense. “There’s a lot going on behind the wheel,” she added. “So, intensity is definitely up for sure.”

As race day approaches, Breidinger shifts into a focused routine designed to keep her grounded. “Tonight we have practice, and then after practice there’s a Cup race, so I’ll probably watch that,” she said of her Thursday evening plans. “Then talk with my team, kind of go over a game plan for tomorrow.”

Qualifying is top of mind, but so is her mindset. “For me, it’s really just kind of getting a good night’s rest,” she explained. “Just having really good vibes, surrounding myself with my team and people who love me, and just make me feel really good the night before.” That balance of preparation and support helps her transition fully into “race mode” once the green flag drops.

Breidinger’s journey hasn’t been without challenges, and she’s open about the resilience it’s taken to reach this point. “I think probably how resilient I am,” she said when asked what defines her most. “I think I’ve been knocked down so many times, and I still find a way to get back up.”

Her advice to young girls looking to follow in her footsteps is simple but powerful. “Don’t be afraid to be the first you,” Breidinger said, noting how easy it can be to box yourself into expectations just because no one has done something before.

Now, her vision extends beyond personal success. “I want to help pave the path and genuinely help younger girls come up through the sport,” she said. “I want to be able to look back and say I actually helped the sport grow.”

Ahead of her Daytona debut, Breidinger is also celebrating her partnership with Raising Cane’s, a relationship she says is rooted in authenticity. “I was just really a true fan,” she said of her first experience with the brand. “The first time I tried Raising Cane’s, I want to say it was in Phoenix after my Arizona race, and I was like, ‘Okay, I get what the hype is about.’”

Her go-to order? “I am a box combo girl,” she said. “I love the sauce. I keep everything," but beyond the food, Breidinger says the sense of community is what stands out most. “I think just the good vibes when you walk into Cane’s and just any events that I go to, the guys are just so good,” she said.

As she takes the wheel at Daytona, Breidinger is pulling fans closer than ever to the driver’s seat.