ARCA: Isabella Robusto secures top-3, becomes top finishing female at Talladega

Isabella Robusto made ARCA history at Talladega by finishing third - in her first top three of the season - as she became the highest ever finishing female driver at the superspeedway, after a strong performance at the third round of the season.

Photo credits: Venturini Motorsports

Isabella Robusto claimed her first podium of the 2025 ARCA Menards Series season with a spectacular drive at Talladega Superspeedway, where she remained in contention for the win throughout the 77-lap race. With her third-place finish, she became the highest-finishing female driver in ARCA history at the iconic track.

Robusto has been a standout talent in every series she’s raced in, and the start of her 2025 ARCA campaign has further demonstrated her raw speed. However, misfortune plagued her first two outings. At Daytona, she spent much of the race running with the front pack before being taken out past the halfway point. In Phoenix, technical issues again dashed her hopes. Despite showing race-winning pace, the Venturini Motorsports driver arrived at Talladega without a finish—but that would change with a determined drive to third place after a late-race restart.

The Talladega round also marked the return of Canadian driver Amber Balcaen, who had also faced misfortune in the Daytona season opener. Balcaen showed strong pace in practice, clocking top-10 times, but due to the lack of owner points, she had to start from P27. Robusto lined up fourth on the grid. A third female driver, Becca Monopoli, was set to start from 22nd, but engine issues forced her to withdraw before the race.

When the green flag dropped, Robusto quickly settled into the top ten, briefly dropping to seventh before finding her rhythm and reclaiming fourth. Balcaen, meanwhile, made one of the biggest opening-lap charges, climbing into P13 within a handful of laps and setting the fastest lap up to that point. Robusto continued to run strong just outside the top five, while Balcaen passed Tim Richmond for P14 but lost the lead draft and trailed by 10 seconds, running alone.

The first caution came on lap 26 after Brenden Queen was hit by Spencer Gallagher, collecting Andy Jankowiak. The incident occurred just behind Robusto, who escaped unscathed. Balcaen moved up to P11. During pit stops under caution on lap 28, Robusto dropped to P16, while Balcaen gained track position and rejoined in ninth.

The race resumed with 45 laps to go, but a green flag pit stop due to an issue dropped Balcaen a lap down. Robusto, however, charged back into the top 10 before another caution reset the field. Back up to seventh, she continued to gain ground as the race restarted with 34 laps to go.

Showing great pace, she advanced to fourth and soon joined the leading battle alongside Sawalich, Lawless Alan, and Staropoli. Another caution flew when Spencer Gallagher hit the wall with 26 laps remaining. On the restart, Robusto lined up on the outside line, right behind Alan, and slotted into second as the field formed a single line.

Balcaen, now back on the lead lap, charged into P13 before another caution was triggered by Cody Dennison’s crash. With nine laps to go, Robusto restarted from the inside line, right behind Alan. She stayed locked to the back of the #20 car as the field began jostling for position. With five laps to go, a spin involving Michael Maples brought out yet another caution, halting the charge of several drivers.

Balcaen again managed to avoid the incident and remained in 13th, setting up a final one-lap shootout. At the green flag, chaos erupted in the midfield. Balcaen was caught in the melee and hit the wall in a heavy impact, ending her race. The race finished under caution, with Lawless Alan taking victory ahead of Thad Moffitt and Isabella Robusto, who secured a well-earned third-place finish after a strong run at the front.

Amber Balcaen was classified 16th, having shown clear top-10 pace and strong racecraft throughout, though ultimately falling victim to bad luck in the closing moments.

With her third-place finish, Isabella Robusto earned her first ARCA top-3 of the season, the second of her career, and also made history at Talladega as the highest-finishing female driver at the superspeedway. She now moves up to 14th in the drivers’ standings, with the next round scheduled for May 9 at Kansas Speedway for the Tide 150.