Isabella Robusto has plentiful reasons to smile even before her historic podium finish in Saturday’s General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Hayden Hutchison | The Podium Finish)
LINCOLN, Ala. — Isabella Robusto has seen her profile rise in the stock car racing world under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner in 2025. Competing with the renowned Venturini Motorsports, the 20-year-old native of Fort Mill, South Carolina, is excited about her rookie season in the ARCA Menards Series, a NASCAR touring division.
After a tough start in the Ride the ‘Dente 200 at Daytona, Robusto expressed confidence about her chances ahead of the General Tire 150 on Phoenix Raceway.
“I’m super excited to get back out to Phoenix. This will be the first time in the ARCA car that I’ve been to the racetrack already,” Robusto said. “I get to go again. So I have a notebook that I’ve made from last year for my debut of things that I need to work on [that] I need to get better, as well as going into this year knowing there’s all different drivers, new teammates, lots of new as well.
“I’ve got a list of what I want to work on while I’m there, and I’m super excited to be able to go back and have the opportunity to work on things that I wanted to last time.”
Before taking on the 1-mile, D-shaped track in Avondale, Arizona, Robusto reflected on how this year’s visit differed from her sensational ARCA debut in 2024 and the start of this season.
“Last time was just getting my feet wet, getting in the car for the first time and all that. And now it’s to go for the win, to be up front. At Daytona, I felt like we had a car that could win, and we were up front the whole time, but Daytona happened so that wasn’t too surprising, but it hurt at the same time knowing we had a chance there.
“But same thing going into Phoenix — I know we’ll have a good car, and it’s a track that I really liked that we went to last year, and I felt comfortable.”
Starting eighth, Robusto finished 31st due to a mechanical problem, a stark contrast from her strong sixth-place showing in last year’s rain-shortened race. Still, it takes a lot to keep a determined racer like Robusto down and she filed the opening two races away like a seasoned veteran.
Perhaps some of that positive mindset comes from her gratitude to race for Venturini Motorsports, one of the most successful teams in ARCA. The team has been a stock car version of “Who’s Who” in terms of the top drivers cutting their teeth with this powerhouse operation.
While Robusto may not recall how she got the good news, the point is she has the resources around her to not only compete for wins — she may be in the championship picture.
Isabella Robusto wants to maximize her opportunities with Venturini Motorsports and Toyota GAZOO Racing. (Photo: Riley Thompson | The Podium Finish)
“Yeah, it meant a lot. I don’t really remember the exact place that I was told that is going to be full time with Venturini, but it means a lot,” she said. “I’m super thankful for all of the opportunities that Toyota has given me.
“Being with a team that has won and has proven that they can run up front and be in good cars and equipment helps me as well with my confidence, knowing I’m in equipment that can win and run up front. So now it’s just on me to get it there and be in the position to win week in and week out.”
The road from the late models to stock cars was not always straightforward. In 2023, Robusto was in the mix for a win in a CARS Tour Pro Late Model race at Hickory before contact with Mike Hopkins sent her into the wall.
Even though Robusto managed to race in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour race, she suffered a concussion from the accident, an injury that led her from a clear road to a path of uncertainty. Still, she was determined to persevere to return to competition at full strength.
“After 2023, at the start, when I had my accident and concussion, it left a lot of unknowns for me — how long I was going to have to recover for, if I would get back into the car, if I did — what would it be in and what kind of way.
“Coming into 2025 knowing that I’m going to run full time in ARCA with a winning team with Venturini, with Toyota, Mobil 1 and Yahoo, it means a lot to me for the support that they still believe in me, that I can run up front and I can win.”
When a driver of Robusto’s caliber earns a seat with Venturini Motorsports, it is not simply securing a strong showing. Drivers in these well-prepared Toyota Camrys have a solid shot to win races and pursue the championship.
As Robusto adapts to full-time stock car competition and new tracks that are not the short tracks of the Southeast, she knows she can lean on her resources and her crew chief Larry Balsitis to give her a fighting shot at victory.
Isabella Robusto gears up for Saturday’s General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Riley Thompson | The Podium Finish)
“This year, I just have to take full advantage of it and learn as much as I can, because there are a lot of race tracks that I haven’t been to, lots of different types of tracks as well,” Robusto considered. “I’ve been to a superspeedway, so I’ll feel better going into Talladega, but Daytona was the first time I’ve been on a superspeedway and a drafting track. There’s a lot of things that I still have to learn and get better at, but I think this year will be a great opportunity for that.”
Most recently, Robusto made a compelling case for the victory in Saturday’s General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. Starting fourth, Robusto ran toward the front of the field before placing third, the best finish for a female competitor at Talladega in the ARCA levels.
“It means a lot,” Robusto said to FOX Sports’ Kaitlyn Vincie. “I wish I was two spots further ahead and crossed the line first. But I’m happy to come out here and finish the race, be top three. I felt like we had a good chance to do it at Daytona but it got cut short early.
“So, I’m happy I got my Mobil 1 Toyota Camry into pit lane after the race without many scratches on it. I think the Venturini crew will bring great cars for the rest of the year at Kansas. I’m happy that a Venturini car and a Toyota won, so a pretty good day.”
Isabella Robusto showed no fear in Saturday’s General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Hayden Hutchison | The Podium Finish)
Those good days are a byproduct of Robusto’s attention to details behind the wheel and away from the track. Optimal mental and physical fitness matters in auto racing as the Toyota GAZOO Racing driver attests with her current efforts.
“I’ve learned what I have to do to mentally prepare for the races,” she shared. “They’re getting longer and more challenging as I go up into the ARCA [Menards] Series, and I’ve prepared myself physically to make that easier in the Toyota Performance Center.
“We do a lot of heat training, and then we’ve also changed my program of my actual workouts to make it easier so I’m not too tired near the end of the race, and I still have that mental capacity to be able to hit my marks, know where I need to be and make those quick decisions.”
Editor’s Notes
We have only scratched the surface of Isabella Robusto’s journey in the ARCA Menards Series. Subscribe to TPF+ on Substack now for the full, uncut story, including the exclusive video interview!
