NASCAR's Toni Breidinger Gets Called Up To Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

Is 2025 the year when NASCAR's Toni Breidinger finally becomes a huge pop culture star?

If Monday's big reveal from Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue is any indication, you're about to see much more of Breidinger. 

The Victoria's Secret model, newly signed IMG model and Toyota NASCAR driver announced she'll be in the 2025 SI swim issue via a video where the 25-year-old is in a red bikini, wearing her racing helmet and driving a pink buggy.  

This is how you make an entrance. 

The 25-year-old California native is no stranger to the pop culture bloggers. She's been on the ARCA circuit while mixing in races in the NASCAR Truck Series, but that hasn't been enough to bust through into the racing pop culture world which has been dominated by Hailie Deegan and Natalie Decker.

Breidinger has the most starts (52) of any woman in ARCA history, but she hasn't run as many truck races as Deegan or Decker. That's a problem in the pop culture world. 

But it's Breidinger who got the coveted call from Sports Illustrated, something that hasn't happened to a NASCAR driver since Danica Patrick appeared in the magazine in 2008.   

Will NASCAR do the right thing and magically find Toni Breidinger a ride for the Daytona 500 as part of the marketing campaign for the 2025 SI Swimsuit issue? 

Better yet, is Sports Illustrated in a financial position to slap its logo on a car and enter Breidinger into the 500 in February? This is the perfect opportunity for NASCAR and SI to figure out a business strategy. 

NASCAR could use a jolt like the one Danica provided in 2010, especially when TV ratings are struggling. In 2023, the sport suffered its least-watched season on record. This year, the sport managed to snag a 1% increase in viewership over 2023. 

Next season, the NASCAR TV schedule will get even harder to keep track of. Fox, FS1, Amazon Prime, TNT, USA and NBC will all carry races. USA Network will have 10 races. 

The sport is also in a tough spot with sponsorships. Forbes estimated that sponsor revenues were down 16% year-over-year (2023/2024).

What's one solution? 

New rivalries. New blood. And a Sports Illustrated model racing the silver spoon boys at Daytona. 

We're not talking a full-season ride. We're talking Toni Breidinger in the Daytona 500. 

Stop and think about it, NASCAR and Sports Illustrated. It makes business sense.