Amber Balcaen

Amber Balcaen (born March 7, 1992) is a Canadian professional stock car racing driver. She competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series West, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Bill McAnally Racing. She is most known as being the first Canadian women to win in a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States.

Amber Balcaen
Nationality Canadian
BornAmber Balcaen
(1992-03-07) March 7, 1992
Winnipeg, Manitoba
ARCA Menards Series West career
Debut season2021
Current teamBill McAnally Racing
Car number19
EngineToyota
Crew chiefJohn Camilleri
Starts3
Championships0
Wins0
Poles0
Best finish25th in 2021
Finished last season25th
Previous series
2014
2015
2017
2018-2019
2019
2020		World of Outlaws Late Model Series
Chili Bowl Nationals
ARCA Menards Series East
CARS Super Late Model Tour
Pro All Star Series
POWRi Midget Racing
Last updated on: December 12, 2021.

Racing career

Early career

Balcaen would begin racing at ten years old, driving go-karts in several dirt tracks around North Dakota. At sixteen years old, she bought her first lightning sprint car, and became the first female driver to win in a dirt track racing championship in Manitoba.

Amber made her Northern Outlaw Sprint Association debut in 2014, for a full-time schedule. She would end up winning Rookie of the Year that season.[1]

Chili Bowl Nationals

Balcaen attempted to race in the 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals, but failied to qualify.[2]

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series

Balcaen got the attention of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, and would drive in the 2016 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (now NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). That year, she would make history, as she became the first female Canadian driver to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States, winning at Motor Mile Speedway.[3][4] She would earn eleven top fives in her first season, giving her Rookie of the Year honors. She would go on to win at the same track a year later, getting her second overall series win.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

Balcaen made her NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut in 2017, driving at New Smyrna Speedway for Martin-McClure Racing.[5] She started 21st and would finish 20th, after getting involved in a late race wreck. She had a spark plug wire come off of the car, which resulted in a penalty, putting her six laps down.[6]

CARS Super Late Model Tour

Balcaen would make her first start in the CARS Super Late Model Tour in 2018, driving the No. 4 for Kyle Busch Motorsports at Hickory Motor Speedway. Balcaen started 26th and finished 28th, after being involved in an early race wreck.[7]

On March 21, Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that Balcaen will drive two late model races in 2019, the Pro All Star Series race at Hickory Motor Speedway, and the CARS Super Late Model Tour race at Motor Mile Speedway. Balcaen would start 22nd finish 14th at Motor Mile.[8]

POWRi Midget Racing

In 2020, she competed in the POWRi Midget Racing Series, failing to qualify for most of the races. She was only able to qualify for two races, finishing 22nd and 12th respectably. On July 11, 2020, Balcaen was involved in a serious wreck at the Valley Speedway, after she got loose in turn 4, causing her sprint car to go off course, and flipping multiple times into a fence. Balcaen suffered collasped lungs, a severe concussion, and several burns to her arms. She was immediately taken to a local hospital for further evaluations. She wasn't released for three days, and had her racing career put on hold for about three months.[9]

ARCA Menards Series West

Balcaen would make her first ARCA Menards Series West start for Bill McAnally Racing at Irwindale Speedway in 2021, finishing in a respectable 15th. Making two more starts that season, she would finish 11th and 22nd respectably.

Personal life

Balcaen was the co-host of TV series "Car's of Rock" with AC/DC band member, Brian Johnson. She is also a motivational speaker, who is currently helping other people from around the world achieve their goals in life. In 2019, she was a main cast member of the NASCAR reality show, Racing Wives, on CMT. She was a spokesperson for Canada's biggest automotive company, Kal Tire, during a winter campaign.[10]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2017 Car's That Rock Herself (co-host)
2018 Fins & Skins Classic Adventures Herself (guest)
2019 Racing Wives Herself

Motorsports career results

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2017 Martin-McClure Racing 39 Toyota NSM
20		 GRE BRI SBO SBO MEM BLN TMP NHA IOW GLN LGY NJM DOV 68th 24 [11]

ARCA Menards Series West
ARCA Menards Series West results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 AMSWC Pts Ref
2021 Bill McAnally Racing 19 Toyota PHO SON IRW
15		 CNS IRW
11		 PIR LVS
22		 AAS PHO 25th 84 [12]

References
  1. "Amber Balcaen Driver Profile". Amber Balcaen Racing. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  2. "Amber Balcaen/Results/Chili Bowl Nationals". Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  3. Bailey, Michelle (August 28, 2016). "Winnipeg's Amber Balcaen Claims Victory and Makes NASCAR History". ChrisD.ca. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  4. Billeck, Scott (August 28, 2016). "Winnipeg woman becomes first Canadian to win NASCAR race". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  5. "Balcaen Prepares for NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Opener". Speedway Digest. February 14, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  6. "New Smyrna Speedway Post-Race Release for Amber Balcaen". Speedway Digest. February 22, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  7. "Amber Balcaen/Results/CARS Response Energy Super Late Model Tour". thethirdturn.com. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  8. "Amber Balcaen to compete in two Super Late Model events for KBM". Kyle Busch Motorsports. March 21, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  9. Rosen, Kayla (July 13, 2020). "'I completely blacked out': Winnipeg race car driver suffers collapsed lung after car flips multiple times". Winnipeg CTV News. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  10. "Amber Balcaen Driver Profile". Amber Balcaen Racing. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  11. "Amber Balcaen – 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  12. "Amber Balcaen – 2021 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 22, 2021.

Amber Balcaen driver statistics at Racing-Reference

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