Amber Balcaen

Amber Balcaen is a third-generation Canadian racer who became the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States, breaking barriers in sprint cars, late models, and stock cars with a racing resume that proves she belongs on any track.

EARLY YEARS

Born March 7, 1992, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Amber Balcaen had racing in her blood from day one. As a third-generation race car driver, the sport wasn’t something she stumbled into—it was the family business. At age 10, she climbed into a go-kart and started tearing up dirt tracks around North Dakota, learning to throw a car sideways before most kids could navigate a high school parking lot.

By 16, Balcaen bought her first lightning sprint car with her own money, a move that signaled she wasn’t just playing around. She was building a career. At 21, she stepped up to 410 sprint cars, the big leagues of dirt track racing, where the cars are faster, meaner, and far less forgiving. The progression was methodical—go-karts to lightning sprints to 410s—each step requiring more skill, more guts, and more commitment. She had all three.

OTHER INTERESTS

Information about Balcaen’s interests outside racing is limited. In a 2024 interview at Watkins Glen, she mentioned recovering from a broken foot, joking that “getting the boot off has been great, I feel like a normal person again.” It was a rare glimpse of life beyond the race car, but mostly, racing appears to consume her world—and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

EARLY SUCCESS

Balcaen didn’t wait long to make her mark. At 16, she became the first woman to win a dirt track racing championship in Manitoba, an achievement that put the racing world on notice. In 2012, she claimed the ALH Motor Speedway Championship, following it up in 2013 with a dominant season in the Northern Lightning Sprint Association (NLSA) where she won 10 feature races and finished in the top two in every completed race—a 75% win rate that would make any driver jealous. She was named runner-up in the NLSA Points Championship and earned Sportsman of the Year honors at Red River Co-op Speedway.

In 2014, Balcaen moved full-time into the Northern Outlaw Sprint Association (NOSA), competing in 410 sprint cars. She was named NOSA Sprint Car Rookie of the Year and became the highest-finishing female in NOSA history, a record that still stands. The skeptics who thought she’d gotten lucky in smaller series had to shut up—she could wheel a 410 sprint car as well as anyone.

The following year, she competed in the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals and caught the attention of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program after participating in the Bill McAnally Racing NASCAR K&N Combine. She ran two races and tests with Rev Racing and was selected for a K&N team. In 2016, she ran a full season in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (now the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series), racked up 11 top-five finishes, and was named Rookie of the Year.

But the win that changed everything came at Motor Mile Speedway in 2016. Balcaen became the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States, a historic moment that cemented her legacy. She backed it up with another win at Motor Mile in 2017, proving it wasn’t a fluke.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2008 (age 16): First woman to win a dirt track racing championship in Manitoba[1][2].
• 2012: ALH Motor Speedway Champion[2].
• 2013: Red River Co-op Speedway Sportsman of the Year; runner-up in Red River Co-op Speedway Points Championship; runner-up in NLSA Points Championship with 10 feature wins and a 75% win rate[2].
• 2014: NOSA Sprint Car Rookie of the Year; highest-finishing female in NOSA history[1][2].
• 2015: Competed in Chili Bowl Nationals; selected for NASCAR K&N team through Drive for Diversity Combine[1][2].
• 2016: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year with 11 top-five finishes; first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States at Motor Mile Speedway[1][4].
• 2017: Second NASCAR Whelen All-American Series win at Motor Mile Speedway[1].
• 2018–2019: Competed in CARS Super Late Model Tour and Pro All Star Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports[1].
• 2023: Top-five finishes in all three ARCA Menards Series races with Venturi Racing Motorsports[3].

INSPIRATIONS

Balcaen’s inspiration comes from family tradition. As a third-generation racer, motorsports wasn’t a choice—it was in her DNA. The details of who in her family raced before her remain private, but the influence is undeniable. She grew up around race cars, learned from racers, and was shaped by a culture where going fast was just what you did.

REPUTATION

Balcaen has built a reputation as a barrier-breaker who lets her results speak. Being the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the U.S. and the highest-finishing female in NOSA history are milestones that can’t be ignored, but she’s always focused on the work, not the headlines. In interviews, she’s straightforward and pragmatic. “Racing is a team sport,” she said in 2024. “It’s much like a football team where we need everyone to work together.” She also understands the business side: “Racing is a business at the end of the day.”

Her 2024 season with Venturi Racing Motorsports tested her resilience. After running top five in all three ARCA races with the team in 2023, she had high expectations going into 2024. Instead, the season brought crew chief turnover, team instability, and a broken foot that sidelined her for part of the year. “This year’s really tested my confidence,” she admitted. “We’ve definitely had our fair share of challenges this year. I’ve went through quite a few crew chiefs. There’s been a lot of turnover at Venturi Racing Motorsports.” It was a season that would’ve broken lesser drivers, but Balcaen kept showing up.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of late 2024, Balcaen’s plans for 2025 remain uncertain. She’s exploring options, unsure whether she’ll return to the ARCA Menards Series with Venturi Racing Motorsports or pursue opportunities in other series. “We’re still looking at the options for next year,” she said at Watkins Glen. “Thankfully I have an amazing sponsor behind me”—Icon Direct, an RV parts manufacturer she’s satisfied with for business-to-business results—”hoping they’ll continue with me next season but we’re still figuring out.”

Back in 2015, her goals were ambitious: a full NASCAR K&N East season in 2016, followed by Truck or Xfinity in 2017, full Xfinity by 2018, and NASCAR Cup by 2020, where she aimed to be Rookie of the Year and the first woman to win a NASCAR series race. Life and racing didn’t follow that exact script, but the ambition never faded. “Racing is my life, and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” she’s said. For Balcaen, the question isn’t whether she’ll keep racing—it’s where she’ll race next, and who’ll be smart enough to put her in a competitive car.

References:

Wikipedia – Amber Balcaen
Amber Balcaen Racing Resume (August 2015)
Amber Balcaen Interview – Watkins Glen ARCA Menards (2024)
Amber Balcaen Racing – About Us
Champion Auto Parts – Amber Balcaen Driver Page