NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger made a striking impression at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles when she wore a standout red dress, quickly drawing attention on social media. Her appearance at the event led to enthusiastic responses from several high-profile athletes, shining a spotlight on the Toni Breidinger ESPY Awards red dress and its impact among sports celebrities.
Athletes Praise Toni Breidinger’s Show-Stopping ESPY Look
Toni Breidinger, who is currently a full-time driver for Tricon Garage in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, balanced her sports and modeling careers on the red carpet. At the ESPY Awards, where the racing world was well-represented—Cup Series champion Joey Logano was nominated for Best Driver, though Formula 1’s Max Verstappen took home the honor—Breidinger became a focus for her fellow athletes’ admiration.
Sloane Stephens, an accomplished tennis player who attended the event and was honored with the 2025 Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, expressed her excitement:
“Ok miss lady!!!!!!! 😍.”
Livvy Dunne, a gymnast who also commands a strong following within and beyond sports, added her own endorsement:
“😍👏,” Livvy Dunne wrote.
Further amplifying the buzz, Suni Lee, two-time Olympic gold medalist and Breidinger’s fellow Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, reacted:
“U LOOK INSANEEEE😍😍😍😍,” Lee, who is also Breidinger’s co-Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, wrote.
Professional racecar driver and BMW Motorsports brand ambassador Samantha Tan joined the chorus, stating:
“Ma’am, my jaw is on the floor!!! omg ❤️🔥,” Tan said.
The outpouring highlights the camaraderie and mutual support among athletes from different sports, elevating Breidinger’s presence at one of the year’s premier sports gatherings.
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Breidinger’s Recent Racing Performance and Next NASCAR Event
While capturing style headlines, Breidinger remains focused on advancing her NASCAR career. She will return to competition next week, tackling 200 laps at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. After 15 season starts as a rookie driver for Tricon Garage, Breidinger is seeking her first top-10 finish; her best result so far is an 18th-place showing at Rockingham Speedway earlier this year during NASCAR’s much-anticipated comeback to the venue.
Balancing Racing and Modeling Careers: Breidinger Addresses Critics
Toni Breidinger, an Arab-American driver and model, has openly discussed how combining racing and modeling creates unique opportunities and new challenges. Responding to common criticisms that she should focus on a single pursuit, Breidinger shared her approach during an interview with Forbes:
“It’s kind of funny, cause everyone’s like, ‘Oh, you have to do one thing. You have to be a race car driver or a model, you can’t do both.’ They kind of work perfectly for me because I do leverage my modeling to help me get behind the wheel… they kind of really go hand in hand for me. And I feel like I’m able to balance them really well.”
Her modeling career, in fact, helps introduce fresh partnerships into racing. She highlights how some sponsors discovered NASCAR through her off-track presence, expanding the sport’s reach:
“Some of my partners are involved in NASCAR and they sponsor other drivers and some of my other partners, they really don’t know much about NASCAR and I kind of brought them into it.”
For the current season, Breidinger races the #5 Toyota truck. Her partners include Raising Cane’s, Celsius, and Sunoco, with additional collaborations such as Victoria’s Secret and 818 Tequila—Kendall Jenner’s spirits brand, which sponsored her at Nashville Superspeedway in May. These partnerships demonstrate how her dual careers benefit each other and help draw new attention to stock car racing.
The Significance of Toni Breidinger’s Moment at the ESPYs
Toni Breidinger’s ESPY Awards appearance and the lively reactions from prominent athletes like Sloane Stephens, Livvy Dunne, Suni Lee, and Samantha Tan show just how much reach and influence she has inside and outside motorsport. As she prepares to race again at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, her ability to blend the worlds of racing and fashion continues to inspire and bring new audiences to both fields. The Toni Breidinger ESPY Awards red dress moment underscores her growing impact as a multi-talented athlete and role model for aspiring young drivers and models alike.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Toni Breidinger’s story?
A. Growing up in Hillsborough, California, Breidinger began racing go-karts when she was nine years old. At 15, she transitioned to the USAC Western US Asphalt Midget Series in 2014. She secured the series championship after two years.
