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Amber Balcaen

Amber Balcaen (born March 7, 1992) is a Canadian professional stock car racing driver. She competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 22 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. She is most known for being the first Canadian woman to win in a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States.

Amber Balcaen
Balcaen at Iowa in 2024
Born (1992-03-07) March 7, 1992 (age 32)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
NASCAR Canada Series career
2 races run over 2 years
Best finish54th (2023)
First race2023 Pinty's Fall Brawl (Delaware Speedway)
Last race2024 Freshstone Dirt Classic (Ohsweken)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
ARCA Menards Series career
43 races run over 3 years
ARCA no., teamNo. 22 (Venturini Motorsports)
Best finish6th (2024)
First race2022 Lucas Oil 200 (Daytona)
Last race2024 Owens Corning 200 (Toledo)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 14 0
ARCA Menards Series East career
9 races run over 3 years
ARCA East no., teamNo. 22 (Venturini Motorsports)
Best finish19th (2024)
First race2017 Jet Tools 150 (New Smyrna)
Last race2024 Bush's Beans 20 (Bristol)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
ARCA Menards Series West career
5 races run over 5 years
ARCA West no., teamNo. 22 (Venturini Motorsports)
Best finish25th (2021)
First race2021 NAPA Auto Parts 150 (Irwindale)
Last race2024 General Tire 150 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of October 7, 2024.

Racing career

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Early career

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Balcaen began 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 won Rookie of the Year that season and became the highest finishing female in Northern Outlaw Sprint Association History.[1]

Chili Bowl Nationals

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Balcaen competed in the 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals.[2]

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series

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Balcaen got the attention of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program and drove in the 2016 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (now NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). That year, she made 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 earned eleven top fives in her first season, giving her Rookie of the Year honors. She went on to win at the same track a year later, getting her second overall series win.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

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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 finished 20th, after getting involved in a late race wreck. She had a spark plug wire come off her car, which resulted in a penalty, putting her six laps down.[6]

CARS Super Late Model Tour

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Balcaen made 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 started 22nd finished 14th at Motor Mile.[8]

POWRi Midget Racing

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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 respectively. 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 flip multiple times into a fence. Balcaen suffered collapsed lungs, a severe concussion, and several burns to her arms. She was immediately taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. She wasn't released for three days, and had her racing career put on hold for about three months.[9]

ARCA Menards Series West

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Balcaen made her first ARCA Menards Series West start for Bill McAnally Racing at Irwindale Speedway in 2021, finishing 15th. She made two more starts that season, finishing 11th and 22nd at Irwindale and Las Vegas respectively.

ARCA Menards Series

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Balcaen (No. 30) and Toni Breidinger (No. 25) at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2022.

Rette Jones Racing (2022)

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On January 3, 2022, Rette Jones Racing announced Balcaen would run the full upcoming ARCA Menards Series season.[10] She would earn six top tens throughout the season, and finish 7th in the final point standings.[11]

Venturini Motorsports (2023–present)

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On January 12, 2023, it was announced that Balcaen will join Venturini Motorsports for the 2023 season, running the races at Daytona and Talladega.[12] She earned a career-best finish of 6th at Daytona.

On January 9, 2024, it was announced that Balcaen will run full-time for VMS in the 2024 season, driving the No. 22 car.[13] During the 2024 General Tire 150 at Dover, on lap 75, Balcaen was trying to avoid Christian Rose, who had hit the wall due to a flat tire. However, due to Dover's self-cleaning design, her car spun and also hit the wall. She required assistance to exit the car and left the track on a stretcher, due to a non-displaced fracture in the third metatarsal of her left foot. She was able to avoid missing any races by driving with a carbon fiber plate in her left shoe.[14]

Personal life

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Balcaen was the co-host of the TV series "Cars That 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.[1]

Filmography

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Television

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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

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ARCA Menards Series

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

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AMSC Pts Ref
2022 Rette Jones Racing 30 Ford DAY
16 		PHO
30 		TAL
12 		KAN
9 		CLT
7 		IOW
10 		BLN
11 		ELK
17 		MOH
15 		POC
21 		IRP
21 		MCH
18 		GLN
19 		MLW
14 		KAN
8 		BRI
31 		SLM
9 		TOL
10 		7th 774 [11]
Toyota ISF
14 		DSF
14
2023 Venturini Motorsports 15 Toyota DAY
6 		PHO TAL
31 		KAN
22 		CLT BLN ELK MOH IOW POC MCH IRP GLN ISF MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 53rd 73 [15]
2024 22 DAY
9 		PHO
15 		TAL
7 		DOV
20 		KAN
8 		CLT
15 		IOW
24 		MOH
16 		BLN
10 		IRP
13 		SLM
24 		ELK
12 		MCH
10 		ISF
8 		MLW
20 		DSF
11 		GLN
29 		BRI
25 		KAN
6 		TOL
13 		6th 786 [16]

ARCA Menards Series East

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

ARCA Menards Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 AMSEC 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 [17]
2022 Rette Jones Racing 30 Ford NSM FIF DOV NSV IOW
10 		MLW
14 		BRI
31 		21st 77 [18]
2024 Venturini Motorsports 22 Toyota FIF DOV
20 		NSV FRS IOW
24 		IRP
13 		MLW
20 		BRI
25 		19th 118 [19]

ARCA Menards Series West

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ARCA Menards Series West results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 AMSWC Pts Ref
2021 Bill McAnally Racing 19 Toyota PHO SON IRW
15 		CNS IRW
11 		PIR LVS
22 		AAS PHO 25th 84 [20]
2022 Rette Jones Racing 30 Ford PHO
30 		IRW KCR PIR SON IRW EVG PIR AAS LVS PHO 67th 14 [21]
2024 Venturini Motorsports 22 Toyota PHO
15 		KER PIR SON IRW IRW SHA TRI MAD AAS KER PHO 59th 29 [22]

References

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  1. ^ a b "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, ICON Direct join Rette Jones Racing for ARCA Menards Series championship journey". Rette Jones Racing (Press release). ARCA Menards Series}. January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Amber Balcaen – 2022 ARCA Menards Series results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  12. ^ "Amber Balcaen joins Venturini Motorsports for 2023 races at Daytona, Talladega". ARCA. January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  13. ^ Christie, Toby (January 9, 2024). "Amber Balcaen to Contest Full ARCA Menards Series Schedule with Venturini". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  14. ^ Goldkamp, Thomas (2024-04-30). "Injury update released for Amber Balcaen after leaving Dover wreck on stretcher". On3. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  15. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2023 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  16. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2024 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  18. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2022 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  19. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2024 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  20. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2021 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  21. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2022 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  22. ^ "Amber Balcaen – 2024 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
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