Toni Breidinger only got three laps completed in her full-time 2024 ARCA Menards Series campaign before disaster struck. Breidinger was one of around 12 cars involved in a massive melee, which was triggered by Breidinger’s Venturini Motorsports teammate Gus Dean tagging her on Lap 4.
After the contact from Dean, all hell broke loose for Breidinger and a good portion of the ARCA field including Shane van Gisbergen. At the end of the carnage, Breidinger, who is running for a championship, was done racing for the night.
Following a trip to the infield care center, Breidinger gave her view of what led to the crash.
Toni Breidinger was NOT happy with Gus Dean after that lap 4 crash. She says that move is probably why Dean wasn’t in a truck earlier tonight. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/7hhwIavWYA
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) February 17, 2024
“Gus thought he was clear, and he wasn’t clear,” Breidinger sharply pointed.
Then, the frustration started to boil over, and Breidinger unleashed her thoughts about Dean without a filter. The most frustrating part of it for Breidinger is that Dean is supposed to be the seasoned veteran presence for the Venturini team, yet he ruined the night for the team’s two full-time drivers.
“Gus is supposed to have the most experience here. He’s supposed to be the veteran of the team, but I don’t know. I don’t know what he was doing. It was a stupid move,” Breidinger said.
The 24-year-old racer would continue by saying, “It’s just unfortunate because he took out Kris [Wright], our other teammate. We’re both going full-time for the season. Gus is just pulling up for a couple of races because his dad is writing the check. It’s just frustrating he has a lack of respect. I mean, he wrecked a few other people. I was talking to one of the other guys in the ambulance. I mean, everybody works so hard to get here, so for him to do that on Lap 3, I don’t even know why he was going three-wide. I don’t know why he would leave me in the middle in the first place. That’s a different conversation.”
Breidinger says that she lost all respect for Dean due to his over-aggressive driving and that she will not assist him in the future.
“Yeah, I think we’re going to have some more races with him. I’m definitely not going to help him out again,” Breidinger said. “I’m still going to have respect for him on the track because he’s my teammate. He’s in a Venturini car, and I want the best for my team, but it’s really, really frustrating.”
As she concluded her post-care center interview, Breidinger, who also competed in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race took one final jab at Dean, who was not in the Truck Series field.
“That’s probably why Gus was not in a truck tonight,” Breidinger stated before walking away.
One Response
The only reason I can see from the purposely instigated wreck is that Dean did not like driving against a female. he showed no respect for other drivers or who might get hurt or for his team owners. my question is why would Ventirina let him in their equipment?If this is the way he chooses to drive let him buy his own car. As far as I can see ALL the other drivers should show him the same degree of disrespect and consideration on the track.