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Amber Balcaen became the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race, winning at Motor Mile on Saturday night.

Balcaen is in her rookie season racing Limited Late Models at the .416-mile Motor Mile Speedway, after driving on dirt in 410 sprints in Canada where she is a third generation driver. Earlier this year, Balcaen imported from her home back in Canada hoping to make a name for herself in American stock car racing driving for defending NWAAS National champion Lee Pulliam.

Balcaen started third in her No. 10 Toyota and worked her way through the field to her first win after being close in a few prior races.

“I knew I had to keep up with [Budzevski] if I was going to pass him for the win,” Balcaen said.  “Once I got by second place I did all I could to run the leader down. Once I caught him I didn’t want to waste any time so fought side by side for him for two laps and made the pass for the win”

The win moves Balcaen into third in the points standings, only 46 points behind leader Scott Lancaster with only one race left in the 2016 season. Regardless of her finish in the points, Balcaen considers her first season successful.

“I had really high expectations going into this season because I knew I had a good race car and a good team behind me,” Balcaen explained.  “I knew that the only setback was my lack of experience on asphalt so I was going to have to learn quickly! It’s clear I improved a lot from the first race (fifth place) to bow (a win), but I finished every race in the top-five, not counting the DNF and maintained top three in points.

“Motor Mile has some very competitive drivers so I would say it has been a pretty good season so far but I am still wanting more wins.”

Balcaen, with Pulliam helping her through her rookie season, has shown improvement since the beginning of the season, slowly working her way into the top five, then top three and culminating with a win in the next to last race of the season.

“Lee is a national champion,” Balcaen remarked.  “I don’t think I could have chosen someone better to learn from, or a better team to drive for. I am so thankful to have worked with Lee Pulliam, and Chris Crosby my spotter and crew chief. The entire LPP team is amazing.”

“She has impressed me and a lot of people here at one of the toughest short tracks on the east coast,” Lee Pulliam said of Balcaen earlier this year.  “She’s got as much talent and desire as any racer we have worked with and we have worked with some of the biggest names in the sport”

With one race remaining, a points title is likely out of reach but Balcaen can still hold her head high after his first season at Motor Mile.

Nobles, from Norfolk, VA is a veteran of covering Late Model Stock Cars in Virginia and The Carolinas. Nobles has also covered Super Late Models, Dirt Modifieds, Tour-Type Modifieds, and the K&N Pro Series East.

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