Toni Breidinger has always had a passion for motor racing. Now at the age of 21, she has become the first Arab American female driver to complete a race within any discipline of NASCAR. She recently made her debut at the world-famous Daytona International Speedway. The 21-year-old hopes to inspire more women to enter the car racing industry.

Having a strong support network, Toni’s parents inspired her to pursue her dream. The Lebanese-American driver spoke about how her mother “chased her dream, came to America and made her own path.” Her father was also quick to notice his daughter’s connection to the race track. He took Toni and her twin sister Annie to a go-kart track when she was 9-years-old. This ignited her lifelong racing ambition.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Toni Breidinger (@tonibreidinger)

Toni doesn’t let her status as a woman in a male-dominated sport hold her back. During an appearance on the Ellen show, she said, “Honestly, it’s never something I think about. The car doesn’t have a gender. The track doesn’t have a gender.”

She hopes that she can pave the way for future female Arab drivers.

“Everyone loves to be the first. But I don’t want to be the last.”