Jade Avedisian

Jade Avedisian is making history as the first female national Midget series champion and a rising force gunning for NASCAR’s top series, methodically breaking barriers while racking up wins across dirt and asphalt.

EARLY YEARS

Born September 14, 2006, in Clovis, California, Jade Avedisian didn’t so much choose racing as she was born into it. Her father worked on dirt sprint cars, and before she could even walk—literally at six months old—she was already a regular at the local dirt track, soaking in the noise, the smell, and the chaos. For most babies, that’s sensory overload. For Jade, it was home.

By age seven, she wasn’t just watching anymore. She climbed into a Quarter midget and started racing, competing against kids nearly a decade older. That early baptism by fire set the tone for everything that followed. While other seven-year-olds were learning to ride bikes without training wheels, Avedisian was learning racecraft against teenagers. By seventeen, she was battling adults in their mid-twenties to mid-forties, holding her own and then some. Growing up in Clovis meant she had easy access to California’s robust dirt track scene, and she took full advantage, cutting her teeth at tracks like Merced Speedway, less than an hour from home.

OTHER INTERESTS

If Jade has hobbies outside of racing, she’s kept them remarkably quiet. The one notable expansion of her world came through competition itself: a stint racing in the 2024 Australian Speedcar Championship, where she finished runner-up. Otherwise, the research suggests a singular focus. No mentions of sports teams, creative pursuits, or even a favorite book. She’s either extremely private or extremely dedicated—possibly both.

EARLY SUCCESS

Avedisian’s trophy case started filling early. In 2017, she won the Junior Micro Sprint title. The following year, she won the Tulsa Shootout Restricted class and claimed both the NOW600 Restricted and A-class titles. These weren’t gimmes—they were national-level competitions that put her on the map before she hit puberty.

In 2021, at just fourteen, she made her USAC Midget National Series debut at Merced Speedway and finished fourth. Fourth. In her debut. Against seasoned pros. It was the kind of performance that makes team owners start taking notes.

By February 2023, Keith Kunz Motorsports—a team with seventeen championships to its name—signed her. That same year, she ran the full Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series season and dominated, scoring five wins, sixteen top-five finishes, and twenty-six top-tens en route to the championship. She became the first female ever to win a national Midget series title. The win wasn’t just historic; it was emphatic.

Also in 2023, she made her first appearance at the Chili Bowl Nationals, finishing eighteenth in the main event—good enough for a podium spot and a trifecta of awards: Rookie of the Year, the Fuzzy Hahn award for highest-finishing female, and the Jason Leffler Elbows Up award. She was the first woman ever to podium at the Chili Bowl.

Her coaching that year came from Jarrett Martin, Keith Kunz Motorsports’ car chief, who helped her refine her aggression after a crash at the Appalachian Midget Week opener at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. She’d been leading when she wrecked—too much talent meeting too much intensity. Martin helped her find the balance, and the results spoke for themselves. Bond Suss also played an instrumental role in her development, though specifics on his involvement remain sparse.

One race stands out from her pre-championship run: an undated event at I-55 Raceway where she charged from sixth to first on the second night. Prior to that weekend, her best finish there had been around twelfth. Reflecting on it, she said, “It was really cool. It was satisfying just to see how much I grew.”

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2017: Junior Micro Sprint title[1].
• 2018: Tulsa Shootout Restricted class win; NOW600 Restricted and A-class titles[1].
• 2021: USAC Midget National Series debut at Merced Speedway, finished fourth[1][3].
• 2023: First female to podium at Chili Bowl Nationals (18th in main event); Rookie of the Year, Fuzzy Hahn highest finishing female, and Jason Leffler Elbows Up awards[1].
• 2023: Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series champion—first female national Midget series champion; five wins, sixteen top-fives, twenty-six top-tens[1][2].
• 2024: Runner-up in Australian Speedcar Championship[1].
• 2024: Part-time Toyota GR Cup North America campaign, finished seventeenth overall; fourth at Circuit of the Americas[1][4].
• 2024: Podium finish at BC39 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; later injured in same event, ending her season early[1].
• 2025: First female winner in CARS Pro Late Model Tour history at All-American Speedway (T.J. DeCaire disqualified); two additional Pro Late Model wins at Hickory and Coastal Plains Raceway[1][4].
• 2025: Fourth in Pro Late Model standings at World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway; three top-five finishes[1][4].

INSPIRATIONS

Her father introduced her to racing, taking her to dirt tracks before she could talk. Beyond that, specifics are scarce. Jarrett Martin and Bond Suss shaped her racecraft, but there’s no record of her naming racing heroes or citing specific drivers who inspired her. Her philosophy is pragmatic, learned from the seat: “Every race has a lesson to take away from,” she’s said. “The goal is to always win as many races as possible. I put a lot of work in over the off-season and in between races so I can be as prepared as possible for every race.”[4]

REPUTATION

Avedisian has earned respect the old-fashioned way: by winning and by refusing to quit. Jarrett Martin noted her “never-say-die mentality,” and fellow racers have taken notice. One unnamed peer racer said, “She gives me a lot of hope for women in the future.”[2] The media has latched onto her as a rising star and barrier-breaker, with Fox LA calling her one of the next great female racers[5]. Bob Pockrass, a well-known NASCAR reporter, named her a top fifteen NASCAR prospect[6].

Her relationship with Keith Kunz Motorsports—a powerhouse program—and Toyota Racing Development, which she joined in late 2023, signals that the industry sees long-term potential. She’s moved from dirt to asphalt methodically, expanding her skillset without overreaching. “I didn’t grow up racing asphalt, so I show up ready to give 110%,” she’s said[4]. That approach is working.

There’s no record of controversy, no public feuds, no drama—just steady, calculated progress and a growing pile of trophies.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Avedisian is clear about where she’s headed: “My ultimate goal is to race on Sundays in the NASCAR Cup Series.”[5] She’s not putting a timeline on it, but she’s building the résumé methodically. In 2025, she expanded into stock cars with a part-time CARS Pro Late Model Tour campaign for Wilson Motorsports, scoring a historic first win at All-American Speedway and adding two more victories at Hickory and Coastal Plains Raceway[1][4]. She also competed in the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway, finishing fourth in the Pro Late Model standings with three top-fives[1][4].

Her schedule includes a part-time ARCA Menards campaign, though specifics remain fluid. Toyota continues backing her development, and she’s treating every race like a classroom. “I’ve always had a passion for racing, and I love every aspect of it,” she’s said[4]. The path to Sundays is long and expensive, but if anyone’s built for it, it’s the kid who started at seven racing against teenagers and never looked back.

References:

[1] Wikipedia – Jade Avedisian
[2] Xtreme Outlaw Series
[3] TrailblazerMag
[4] Toyota Pressroom
[5] Fox LA
[6] YouTube Kenny Conversation