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Isabella Robusto returns to ARCA Menards Series with Nitro Motorsports

JHby: Jonathan Howard6 hours agoJondean25

After moderate success in her rookie campaign in the ARCA Menards Series, Isabella Robusto is going full-time again. This time, Robusto will team up with Nitro Motorsports. Nitro bought out the Venturini Motorsports program earlier this year.

Isabella Robusto was a common sight in the top-five last season in the ARCA Menards Series. She has legitimate talent at 21 years old. Early in the season, DNFs cost her points to compete for the top spots in points. Besides those DNFs, Robusto’s worst finish was a P10 at Lime Rock Park and Kansas. Not bad for a driver still figuring out stock cars.

During her high school years, Robusto was a multisport athlete. Now, she’s racing cars full-time in ARCA. I’d expect her to compete for wins in the 2026 season. We will have to see who Pinnacle Racing Group and Joe Gibbs Racing have in store for the year. But Robusto should be in one of the best cars week in and week out.

We have seen Isabella Robusto’s talent on display multiple times before. She has come close to winning more than a few times, but hasn’t been able to close the deal. She has finished P2 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on dirt and had a P2 finish at Irwindale in the West Series, as well as Nashville Fairgrounds in the East Series.

Toyota believes that Robusto can be the next woman driver to make it big in racing. They have a few women signed to development deals. Robusto is joined by drivers like Taylor Reimer, Jade Avedisian, and others in that development group. Of course, Reimer forms one half of a NASCAR power couple with Truck Series champion Corey Heim.

Expectations for Isabella Robusto in 2026

Again, we have to see what the rest of the full-time ARCA Menards Series field looks like, and who the part-time drivers are, but Isabella Robusto should take that next step up in 2026. If she doesn’t, then her NASCAR journey might see itself come to a halt or a major speedbump at the very least.

Nitro Motorsports has taken over the Venturini program. Outside of JGR, they are going to be the top Toyota organization in ARCA. Still, they have to put the cars on the track and make them go fast. Venturini found out how to do it, now Nitro has to replicate that success.

It would be fantastic to see Robusto win a race in 2026. There are so many young girls and women in racing right now, not nearly as many as there are young boys and men, but the time is coming where one of these women breaks through. With her athleticism and generally easygoing attitude, Robusto has a real chance to be the one who does it first.

Since Hailie Deegan won her K&N race all those years ago, we’ve waited for the next woman to win in a NASCAR-sanctioned series. It might just be Isabella Robusto in 2026.