NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Of the women who have racked up accomplishments in United States short-track racing over the past decade, Kody Brusso is a name often overlooked.
The Pensacola, Florida native has quietly put together an impressive career across several disciplines. Along with claiming Outlaw titles at South Alabama Speedway and Five Flags Speedway, Brusso’s accolades include a NASCAR Louisiana State Championship in 2014 driving a Pro Late Model at Revolution Raceway Park.
Brusso's racing journey takes her to New Smyrna Speedway this week for her second attempt at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. The schedule for Brusso in 2024 now includes a handful of Pro Late Model starts after exclusively competing in the Sportsman class the year before.
The experience Brusso has in both types of cars is one reason why she exuded confidence when her team unloaded at New Smyrna on Thursday.
“We run Outlaw cars at home in Pensacola,” Brusso said. “I race an open wheel modified, which is the same kind of car these Florida Modifieds [at New Smyrna] are. I’ll pretty much race anything that has four tires on it.
“I get in it, and I take off.”
Brusso’s decision to start running the World Series of Asphalt came down to two simple factors: the atmosphere and the notoriety.
Already a marquee event for short-track competitors from Florida since 1968, the World Series of Asphalt has only seen more prestige in recent years as drivers from the northeast, midwest and even Canada now regularly descend upon the Sunshine State every February for a shot to grab a victory.
It was through car owners and local natives Chuck and Willie Burkhalter that Brusso got her first chance to compete in the World Series of Asphalt last year. Her familiarity with the Sportsman class gave Brusso some optimism, but she was still trepidatious on how to navigate one of those cars around the half-mile oval.
[caption id="attachment_419914" align="alignnone" width="1300"]New Smyrna’s old pavement produced plenty of surprises for Brusso when she turned her first laps in her black No. 7 Sportsman. Despite this, she quickly adapted to the maneuverability of the racing surface and feels emboldened ahead of her planned Pro Late Model debut.
“The track rips,” Brusso said. “It’s definitely going to be fun in a [Pro Late Model]. This is their Snowball Derby, and I’m from Pensacola, so I know what the Derby is all about. I’m liking it so far.”
Obtaining experience is a primary goal for Brusso in her sophomore World Series of Asphalt campaign. A short schedule of events for the Sportsman class only provided Brusso two opportunities to showcase her talent in front of New Smyrna’s fanbase and the broader streaming audience.
Brusso capitalized on those two nights. Both Sportsman features concluded with Brusso earning a runner-up finish to Derek Griffith and Adam Briggs, respectively.
Even though she did not obtain a victory in 2023, showcasing consistency more than validated the trip to the World Series of Asphalt for Brusso while also serving as motivation for her to return this year with more speed and knowledge at her disposal.
“The big tracks are my thing,” Brusso said. “The little bullrings have been more of an adjustment for me since I was raised on a half-mile and a 3/8 [mile]. This is right in my wheelhouse, and it takes a driver to do [the World Series of Asphalt], not a million dollars. That’s what we like about it.”
Replicating the success from Sportsman competition into Pro Late Models is a challenge Brusso is ready to embrace. Not only does the entry list for the World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model division more than double the Sportsman class, but it also features plenty of aspiring young talent such as fellow female drivers Katie Hettinger, Isabella Robusto and Toni Breidinger.
Now that Sportsman division has wrapped up its two-day World Series of Asphalt schedule, Brusso is determined to deliver a strong performance in the No. 31 Pro Late Model prepared by Chuck Burkhalter and Darrell Hensley. Stiff competition stands in Brusso’s path, but she expects to at least compete for a top 10 when she is on track.
A victory in a World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model event may be a daunting task for Brusso, but she is still going to depart New Smyrna with plenty to cherish and celebrate.
[caption id="attachment_419915" align="alignnone" width="1300"]During the final night of Sportsman competition on Saturday, Brusso overcame early contact to methodically carve her way through the 13-car field. She reached race leader Travis Devendorf by the hallway point and easily overtook him on a late-race restart to add a World Series of Asphalt triumph to her stellar resume.
Rubbing fenders with the established veterans to chart her own course is what has defined Brusso since the start of her career. No matter the circumstances, Brusso has persevered with the resources she has to cultivate an identity as champion driver within the racing culture of the Deep South.
With a World Series of Asphalt win under her belt, the next objective for Brusso is to keep making history by one day earning a title in the crown jewel short track event.
“I’ve won championships twice in two different cars, so I like to knock those barriers down,” Brusso said. “I’m not your typical female racer. I’ll get out here to work on this thing and not BS you around. I don’t come here to take pictures. I’m come here to win races. That’s it.”
The past two iterations of the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna have provided race fans a glimpse into what drives Brusso. Versatile, determined and a hard-worker, Brusso continues to leave an impact as a trailblazer that will one day inspire the next generation of female drivers.