Amber Balcaen Explained

Amber Balcaen
Birth Date:7 March 1992
Birth Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Total Arca Races:29
Years In Arca:3
Arca Car Team:No. 22 (Venturini Motorsports)
First Arca Race:2022 Lucas Oil 200 (Daytona)
Last Arca Race:2024 Berlin ARCA 200 (Berlin)
Arca Wins:0
Arca Top Tens:10
Arca Poles:0
Total Arca East Races:5
Years In Arca East:2
Arca East Car Team:No. 22 (Venturini Motorsports)
Best Arca East Pos:68th (2021)
First Arca East Race:2017 Jet Tools 150 (New Smyrna)
Last Arca East Race:2024 General Tire 150 (Dover)
Arca East Wins:0
Arca East Top Tens:1
Arca East Poles:0
Total Arca West Races:3
Years In Arca West:5
Arca West Car Team:No. 22 (Venturini Motorsports)
Best Arca West Pos:25th (2021)
First Arca West Race:2021 NAPA Auto Parts 150 (Irwindale)
Last Arca West Race:2024 General Tire 150 (Phoenix)
Arca West Wins:0
Arca West Top Tens:0
Arca West Poles:0
Total Canada Races:1
Years In Canada:1
First Canada Race:2023 Pinty's Fall Brawl (Delaware Speedway)
Canada Wins:0
Canada Top Tens:0
Canada Poles:0
Updated:May 6, 2024

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.

Racing career

Early career

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

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

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series

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

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

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

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

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

Rette Jones Racing (2022)

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.

Venturini Motorsports (2023–present)

On January 12, 2023, it was announced that Balcaen will join Venturini Motorsports for the 2023 season, running the races at Daytona and Talladega.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13]

Personal life

Balcaen was the co-host of the 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.[1]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2017Car's That RockHerself (co-host)
2018Fins & Skins Classic AdventuresHerself (guest)
2019Racing WivesHerself

Motorsports career results

ARCA Menards Series

(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
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920 !PtsRef
2022Rette Jones Racing30FordDAY
PHO
TAL
KAN
CLT
IOW
BLN
ELK
MOH
POC
IRP
MCH
GLN
MLW
KAN
BRI
SLM
TOL
7th774[14]
ToyotaISF
DSF
2023Venturini Motorsports15ToyotaDAY
PHOTAL
KAN
CLTBLNELKMOHIOWPOCMCHIRPGLNISFMLWDSFKANBRISLMTOL53rd73[15]
202422DAY
PHO
TAL
DOV
KAN
CLT
IOW
MOH
BLN
IRP
SLM
ELK
MCH
ISF
MLW
DSFGLNBRIKANTOL-*-*[16]

ARCA Menards Series East

(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
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314PtsRef
2017Martin-McClure Racing39ToyotaNSM
GREBRISBOSBOMEMBLNTMPNHAIOWGLNLGYNJMDOV68th24[17]
2022Rette Jones Racing30FordNSMFIFDOVNSVIOW
MLW
BRI
21st77[18]
2024Venturini Motorsports22ToyotaFIFDOV
NSVFRSIOW
IRP
MLW
BRI-*-*[19]

ARCA Menards Series West

ARCA Menards Series West results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112PtsRef
2021Bill McAnally Racing19ToyotaPHOSONIRW
CNSIRW
PIRLVS
AASPHO25th84[20]
2022Rette Jones Racing30FordPHO
IRWKCRPIRSONIRWEVGPIRAASLVSPHO67th14[21]
2024Venturini Motorsports22ToyotaPHO
KERPIRSONIRWIRWSHATRIMADAASKERPHO-*-*[22]

References

  1. Web site: Amber Balcaen Driver Profile. December 12, 2021. Amber Balcaen Racing.
  2. Web site: Amber Balcaen/Results/Chili Bowl Nationals. December 12, 2021.
  3. Web site: Bailey . Michelle . August 28, 2016. Winnipeg's Amber Balcaen Claims Victory and Makes NASCAR History. December 12, 2021. ChrisD.ca.
  4. Web site: Billeck. Scott. August 28, 2016. Winnipeg woman becomes first Canadian to win NASCAR race. December 12, 2021. Winnipeg Free Press.
  5. Web site: February 14, 2017. Balcaen Prepares for NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Opener. December 12, 2021. Speedway Digest.
  6. Web site: February 22, 2017. New Smyrna Speedway Post-Race Release for Amber Balcaen . December 12, 2021 . Speedway Digest.
  7. Web site: Amber Balcaen/Results/CARS Response Energy Super Late Model Tour. December 12, 2021. thethirdturn.com.
  8. Web site: March 21, 2019. Amber Balcaen to compete in two Super Late Model events for KBM . December 12, 2021. Kyle Busch Motorsports.
  9. Web site: Rosen. Kayla. July 13, 2020. 'I completely blacked out': Winnipeg race car driver suffers collapsed lung after car flips multiple times. December 12, 2021. Winnipeg CTV News.
  10. Amber Balcaen, ICON Direct join Rette Jones Racing for ARCA Menards Series championship journey. Rette Jones Racing. ARCA Menards Series. }
  11. Web site: January 12, 2023 . Amber Balcaen joins Venturini Motorsports for 2023 races at Daytona, Talladega . January 12, 2023 . ARCA.
  12. Web site: Christie . Toby . January 9, 2024 . Amber Balcaen to Contest Full ARCA Menards Series Schedule with Venturini . January 18, 2024 . TobyChristie.com.
  13. Web site: Goldkamp . Thomas . 2024-04-30 . Injury update released for Amber Balcaen after leaving Dover wreck on stretcher . 2024-06-23 . On3 . en.
  14. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2022 ARCA Menards Series results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 5, 2022.
  15. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2023 ARCA Menards Series Results. February 23, 2023. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
  16. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2024 ARCA Menards Series Results. February 17, 2024. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
  17. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Series Results. June 15, 2020. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
  18. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2022 ARCA Menards Series East Results. February 23, 2023. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
  19. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2024 ARCA Menards Series East Results. April 26, 2024. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
  20. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2021 ARCA Menards Series West Results. November 22, 2021. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
  21. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2022 ARCA Menards Series West Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 12, 2022.
  22. Web site: Amber Balcaen – 2024 ARCA Menards Series West Results. March 8, 2024. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.