In 2016, Canadian trailblazer Amber Balcaen made history by becoming the first female from the Great White North to win a race in NASCAR’s Whelen All-American Series, now known as the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. Her development was visibly apparent in 2024, when she became part of the ARCA Series history as Venturini Motorsports fielded not one but three female drivers at the Phoenix event a few weeks ago. 

Girlpower was on full display, as all three Venturini drivers were placed in the top 15. Balcaen’s #22 rounded off the 15th spot and supermodel Toni Breidinger finished in P9. The star of the hour emerged as an unlikely contender as teammate and debutant Isabella Robusto just missed the top-5 at P6, in her first-ever ARCA race for VMS. Phoenix acted as a beacon of inspiration for the female stars of today, with all three members of the Driver for Diversity (D4D) program standing out with skills to match in an extremely diverse field. Nevertheless, Balcaen graced viewers with her take on emerging as a “role model” of today, fighting through the “adversity” that comes before it.

Hear about the challenges from Amber Balcaen herself

Balcaen, a third-generation racer from Winnipeg, Canada, spent her whole life around the dirt tracks of her native Manitoba. Interestingly, she is also the first female racer to win a dirt-track racing championship in the region. She was also the first driver in her family to make the switch to asphalt. The #22 has never looked back since, as she talked about her journey with Breakfast Television in recent discussions.

“Yeah, it’s been a journey, that’s for sure. You know, racing cars is really fun, but it’s also a lot harder than most people expect. There’s a lot to it, as far as training, the heat, the length of the races, the physical ability, and also the cognitive functions that go along with it as well.”

Balcaen’s abilities have very few doubters. With racecar drivers’ rigorous training and habits making the news every other day, there is no doubt about her capabilities either. However, the big problem that has plagued the Canadian star is the ever-evolving discussion of not finding the right sponsorship. Ever since her Whelen days, Balcaen has been openly vocal about it. She reiterated this in between discussions, saying, “Yeah, absolutely. I’ve had to overcome a lot of adversity. both trying to find sponsorship to be in this sport moving down to the US, and it’s really taken a lot of mental toughness, grit, and fortitude.” 

In 2020, Balcaen’s training and endurance were put to the test when she suffered a horrific crash in a midget on a dirt track at Grain Valley, Missouri, which left the 31-year-old Canadian warrior with several intensive burns and a collapsed lung. Needless to say, Balcaen fought through and started competing again in the next couple of months. When the host asked, “Why did (Amber) want to get back to it,” she had the best reply.

A proud ‘Canadian’ representing her nation

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The resilient Amber Balcaen said, “I think I’ve always felt a responsibility to be that inspirational figure and role model to not only girls but just people in general who have a really big crazy dream that seems scary to a lot of people.”

Following the unfortunate series of events in 2020, the Venturini Motorsports driver moved to Bill McAnally Racing and the BMR Drivers Academy while taking part in 3 ARCA West Series races. This was also the year that she partnered with her brand-new sponsor, Icon Direct.  

This partnership played an integral role in supporting Balcaen’s recovery, as in 2022 she joined Rette Jones Racing in the #30 car, sponsored by Icon Direct, for her first full-time season at ARCA. She placed 7th in overall championship points. The proud Canadian is still partnered with the RV parts company, as Balcaen revealed between discussions, “My primary sponsor is actually Canadian as well so it’s red and white. We have the red and white branding all over the car and that’s why I’m in red today representing Canada, so I’m really excited and going to try to make more history this year.”

It is safe to say that she is already well on the way, with the support of Icon Direct, but how will the Venturini Girls trio fare in the 2024 season? We wait for Talladega.

Read More: 19YO ARCA Rookie Dissects Her Unprecedented NASCAR Journey Ahead of Phoenix Debut