At just 19 years old, Californian racer Jade Avedisian secured her first Super Late Model victory during the second night of the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway. This milestone marked a remarkable start to her 2024 racing season as she prepares for her rookie part-time campaign in the ARCA Menards Series with Nitro Motorsports.
Competing with Wilson Motorsports to launch her season, Avedisian demonstrated exceptional skill and determination over the weekend, navigating intense competition and challenging race conditions to clinch the win that establishes her among promising newcomers in the sport.
Challenging First Feature Race Tests Avedisian’s Resolve
In her first feature race on Saturday, Avedisian qualified fifth but dropped to sixth immediately after the start. She steadily regained momentum, moving up to fourth by lap ten. Two caution periods compressed the field, altering race dynamics especially after George Phillips spun, which prompted other racers like Cory Hall to incur penalties and pit stops, benefiting Avedisian’s track position by advancing her to third before the restart.
A determined restart saw her duel for second place with Spencer Davis, but contact at the onset of the next lap forced her into the outside wall on Turn 4. This collision caused significant right-side damage to her car, dropping her back to fourth. Despite the setback, Avedisian held strong, maintaining a top-ten position and finishing seventh—just behind NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece—showcasing resilience in her opening race of the year.
Maintaining Momentum Leads to Breakthrough Victory
Wilson Motorsports rapidly repaired the car overnight, enabling Avedisian to start Sunday’s feature race from third, trailing Casey Roderick and Spencer Davis. Capitalizing on her prior race pace, she preserved her position in the opening laps and then overtook Davis for second place on lap five at Turn 1.
Quickly closing in on Roderick, she executed a decisive pass at Turn 4 on lap nine to take the lead. Once in front, Avedisian pulled away, though she faced pressure from lapped traffic and a charging Dawson Sutton. Despite these challenges, she maintained composure to win the 60-lap event by just 0.637 seconds, marking the first Super Late Model win of her career.
Reflecting on Victory and Team Efforts
After the race, Avedisian expressed gratitude toward her team’s hard work.
This whole Wilson [Motorsports] team had to get up here at 7 in the morning just to get it back together from last night, so I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. So, thanks to Dennis and everyone on this #24 car for everything they do for me, Mobil 1, Toyota Racing and it’s a big group effort and my focus is set on Tuesday and I just want to win that race so bad.
—Jade Avedisian, Driver
She also reflected on managing the late-race challenge:
I was pretty aware of [Sutton closing in] thanks to Jacob, I tried to manage my gap and keep everything connected,
and added,
That’s something I struggled with in the past and it feels good to finally put a race together, I know it was only 60 laps, but it’s still something.
—Jade Avedisian, Driver
Current Standings and Upcoming Challenges
Following two races, Avedisian is currently sitting second in the World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model standings, just five points behind Spencer Davis. The series continues with additional 60-lap feature races scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday evenings, promising further opportunities for Avedisian to build on her early success and sharpen her skills as the season progresses.
This breakthrough win holds significant promise for Avedisian’s budding career, reinforcing her potential to excel in the competitive ARCA Menards Series. With strong backing from Wilson Motorsports, Nitro Motorsports, Toyota Racing, and Mobil 1, her trajectory looks set for further achievements in the 2024 season and beyond.
