Maroc - CHICASRACING.COM - A La Une - 16/Aug 13:00

ARCA | Venturini Motorsports fielding entries for four women Sunday at the Springfield Mile

Four women will compete in Sunday’s ARCA Menards Series Springfield ARCA 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, and they’ll all be driving for Venturini Motorsports.Full-time competitors Toni Breidinger and Amber Balcaen will be joined on the Venturini team by Isabella Robusto and Taylor Reimer for the 100-lap dirt track event.It marks the first time Venturini Motorsports has fielded entries for four women in the same event, but it’s hardly the first time the team has made history in such a manner.During the 2018 Scott 150 at Chicagoland Speedway, the team fielded entries for Breidinger, Natalie Decker and Leilani Munter. It was the first time the team had fielded entries for three women in the same event. The team is also known for utilizing the first all-female pit crew in ARCA history. Known as the Ultra Blue Crew, the women were the primary crew for Bill Venturini in 1985, 1986 and the team’s first championship in 1987.“Over the past couple of decades, we’ve seen more women drivers making a positive impact on our sport,” said Venturini Motorsports owner Billy Venturini. “Although female drivers competing at this level is nothing new, I’ve seen more and more talented women drivers coming up the ranks the last few years. These women on our team are great role models for younger girls looking at our sport. This weekend will be special, but honestly, I don’t really look at it as gender specific – for us it’s just another day at the track with our drivers.”Breidinger is Venturini Motorsports’ longest tenured female competitor and has four top five and 23 top 10 finishes in 57 ARCA Menards Series starts. She’s in her second full season of ARCA Menards Series competition.Piloting the No. 22 Toyota, Balcaen is also in the midst of her second full season of ARCA Menards Series competition and her first with Venturini. In 35 career starts, Balcaen has earned 11 top-10 finishes.Robusto, who will take the wheel of the No. 20 Toyota for Sunday’s race, will make just her third ARCA Menards Series start. In her previous two starts this season, she finished fourth at Elko Speedway and sixth at Phoenix Raceway.Reimer made her debut at the Illinois State Fairgrounds one year ago with an eighth-place finish. While best known for becoming the first woman to win a national midget event, she has been spending her time recently racing Late Models in the Southeast.The quartet of women will be joined on the Venturini Motorsports team by full timer Kris Wright, who most recently finished third in a thrilling photo finish at Elko.-ARCA Menards-