Meet the women racing at Daytona during NASCAR’s opening weekend

NASCAR’s 2026 season begins this weekend in Daytona Beach, Florida, culminating with the Great American Race on Sunday.

In the leadup to the premier Cup Series competition, drivers in the ARCA Menards Series, the Craftsman Trucks Series and the second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly the Xfinity Series) will tackle the historic track.

And there won’t just be men behind the wheel.

Six women are on the entry lists for various races at Daytona this weekend.

No woman has won a NASCAR-sanctioned race at Daytona. Danica Patrick won the Cup Series pole there in 2013 and finished eighth in the same year. Natalie Decker finished fifth in trucks at Daytona in 2020, the best finish ever by a woman in one of NASCAR’s top three touring series. In the feeder ARCA series, both Hailie Deegan and Shawna Robinson notched second-place finishes at Daytona.

Here’s the women aiming for the checkered flag this year at Daytona.

Natalie Decker — O'Reilly Auto Parts Series

Decker returned to NASCAR last season after more than a year off. During that time, she gave birth to her son, Levi. Her lone race last season was at Daytona, at the Wawa 250 in August, where she finished 22nd. Across starts in ARCA, trucks and the O’Reilly Series, Decker has five top 20 finishes at Daytona.

"Daytona is a track that demands respect – it’s fast, unpredictable, and mentally intense," Decker recently told Forbes. "As a driver, it represents opportunity, momentum, and the kind of challenge that brings out the best in you."

It's unclear how many races Decker will compete in this season, but she'll be the only woman racing in the second-tier O'Reilly Series this weekend.

The 28-year-old will be driving the No. 35 Chevrolet for Joey Gase Motorsports with a sponsor from T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel. The United Rentals 300 begins at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday on The CW.

Toni Breidinger — Craftsman Trucks Series

Breidinger was the lone woman racing in one of NASCAR's top three national series last year, but her rookie season was a bumpy one as her best finish was 18th at Rockingham. This season, Breidinger has switched teams, moving on from Tricon Garage to join Rackley WAR. Beginning with Daytona, she’ll compete in eight races in the No. 27 Chevy truck.

Many of Briedinger’s sponsors remain, and she’ll race at Daytona with the logo of Raising Cane's plastered across her hood. Breidinger’s best finish at Daytona was in 2022, coming in ninth in the ARCA series.

The Fresh From Florida 250 begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday on FS1.

Isabella Robusto — ARCA Menards Series

Robusto is viewed as one of the rising talents in the sport and a contender to win the ARCA series this season. Last year, she notched nine top-five finishes and placed fourth in the final championship standings, earning the ARCA Rookie of the Year award. One of Robusto’s most noteworthy performances last season came at Talladega, where she finished third – the best finish ever by a woman in any competition at the track.

Last year, Robusto finished 21st in the ARCA race at Daytona.

The 21-year-old from South Carolina will pilot the No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota for Nitro Motorsports in the General Tire 200 at 12 p.m. ET Saturday on Fox.

Taylor Reimer — ARCA Menards Series

This will be Reimer’s first crack at Daytona in NASCAR’s feeder series. The 26-year-old has competed in a handful of ARCA races over the years but has often performed well, finishing in the top 10 of seven of the eight races she’s ran. Reimer has also competed in midgets and late models.

Beginning with Daytona, Reimer will compete in six ARCA races for Pinnacle Racing Group this season. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native will drive the No. 77 purple Chevrolet on Saturday with a BuzzBallz sponsorship.

Alli Owens — ARCA Menards Series

The 37-year-old mother of three is ending a 10-year NASCAR hiatus by returning to the driver’s seat at Daytona. She’s competed in the Truck Series and the O’Reilly Series in the past, and made her ARCA debut at Daytona back in 2008. In 32 ARCA races, she owns three top 10 finishes.

Owens will drive the No. 68 Ford for Kimmel Racing with a sponsor from Bighorn Outdoors.

Logan Misuraca — ARCA Menards Series

As an instructor for the NASCAR Racing Experience, Misuraca has logged a lot of miles at Daytona. This however will be her first competitive race there since 2023 when she finished 18th in one of the eight ARCA races she’s ran over the years.

The 26-year-old Florida native will drive the No. 86 Ford for City Garage Motorsports with a sponsorship from Orlando Health.