The historic DuQuoin State Fairgrounds is an ideal facility for Jade Avedisian’s first ARCA Menards Series start.
She’s never raced on the one-mile clay oval, but the track bares some similarities to the dirt tracks on which she competed during her formative years. The accolades Avedisian tallied in dirt racing boosted her notoriety in the bigger motorsports industry, paving the way for her debut with Venturini Motorsports on Sunday evening (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1).
Piloting a heavy stock car around DuQuoin’s layout brings plenty of challenges for Avedisian, who is approaching the weekend with optimism. The NASCAR Cup Series is a long-term goal, which is why she’s determined to make a strong first impression on the ARCA platform.
“This day is going to mean a lot to me,” Avedisian said. “I’ve put a lot of work into this so far. Honestly, I can’t wait to get to the race track, get in the race car, go out and race for 100 laps.
“Hopefully we can execute the whole day.”
For as much time as Avedisian has spent on dirt tracks, being away from them all year has been a massive adjustment. To expedite her development on paved short tracks, Avedisian and Toyota Gazoo Racing chose to focus on Pro and Super Late Model events for 2025 rather than dirt midget car racing.
Expectations were high for both parties, as Avedisian ended the previous season by winning a Pro Late Model event at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway in only her second start in the car.
Despite this, Avedisian was not complacent going into the offseason, and she knew she needed time to develop a cadence in a full-bodied stock car.
Figuring out proper race craft was only one part of the process, as an expanded schedule would involve traveling to different tracks and going up against other talented young drivers.
Without the support system provided by Toyota, Avedisian does not believe she would be as prepared for Sunday’s race at DuQuoin.
“At the start of the year, I didn’t have any experience realistically, but I was with a lot of good people, a lot of good coaches and a good team with [Donnie Wilson Motorsports],” Avedisian said. “Bond [Suss] and everyone [with him] have really sped up my process, and that’s very much appreciated.
“I’ve had this whole past year to gain experience, [all while] some kids have many, many years.”
Avedisian opened the year by participating in the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway, placing fourth in the Pro Late Model standings with three top fives. She continued posting solid results after the week-long trip to New Smyrna, scoring two more Pro Late Model victories at Hickory and Coastal Plains Raceway.
All three of Avedisian’s pavement victories so far have come from a starting position inside the top five. There have also been plenty of races where Avedisian needed to come from mid-pack or the rear of the field, which provided lessons on how to stay patient and set up passes.
Those fundamentals are much different compared to the quick tempo Avedisian experienced earlier in her career.
“In dirt [racing], you only have 30 laps,” Avedisian said. “From the green to the checkered, it’s as hard as you can possibly go. You can take a few chances because you don’t have much time. With Late Model races or even this ARCA race, it’s 100 laps, so it takes time to get past a guy. It might take three or four laps.
“[You need to realize] what your pace is and how the race is going to play out.”
The mindset Avedisian has adopted for pavement tracks is going to be utilized as she tackles DuQuoin’s clay surface for the first time. With DuQuoin being one of the largest dirt tracks in the United States, a stark contrast to the bullrings on which Avedisian regularly competed, there is only so much she can carry over from her roots to Sunday’s race.
One advantage Avedisian possesses is the success Venturini has enjoyed at DuQuoin. The organization has scored six victories at the track with drivers that include two-time Chili Bowl Nationals winner Logan Seavey, 2023 ARCA Menards Series champion Jesse Love and last year’s winner Brent Crews.
Venturini’s efficient status quo at DuQuoin is something Avedisian is using as motivation for the Southern Illinois 100. She wants to match what her predecessors have done at the historic facility, but she also understands there will be a lot to ascertain in her first time driving an ARCA car.
“Truthfully, I haven’t really thought about [my expectations],” Avedisian said. “Any race track I show up to with any type of car, my end goal is to win the race. I don’t really know how I’m going to be, time will tell.
“I’m going into it like I’m going to win the race, but at the end of the day, this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m trying to soak it all in.”
Avedisian knows she has the talent to hold her own with the best in any form of motorsports, whether it’s on dirt or pavement. The early years of her career have seen Avedisian get battle tested against many elite competitors. That resolve was crucial toward her qualifying for the Chili Bowl Nationals in 2023.
Two drivers have won in their ARCA Menards Series debuts this season alone in Treyten Lapcevich and Tristan McKee. If everything falls her way at DuQuoin, Avedisian is more than capable of adding her name to that list.