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. In 2014, she made her Northern Outlaw Sprint Association debut, 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.
Balcaen competed in the 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals. In 2016, she drove in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (now NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). She became the first female Canadian driver to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race, winning at Motor Mile Speedway. 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.
She made her NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut in 2017, driving at New Smyrna Speedway for Martin-McClure Racing. She started 21st and finished 20th, after getting involved in a late race wreck. A spark plug wire came off her car, resulting in a penalty that put her six laps down. In 2018, Balcaen made her first start in the CARS Super Late Model Tour, 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. On March 21, Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that Balcaen would 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 and finished fourteenth at Motor Mile.
In 2020, Balcaen competed in the POWRi Midget Racing Series, qualifying 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 and wasn't released for three days, with her racing career put on hold for about three months.
Balcaen made her ARCA Menards Series West debut 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.
On January 3, 2022, Rette Jones Racing announced Balcaen would run the full upcoming ARCA Menards Series season. She earned six top tens throughout the season and finished seventh in the final point standings. On January 12, 2023, it was announced that Balcaen would join Venturini Motorsports for the 2023 season, running the races at Daytona and Talladega. She would also run the first race at Kansas. She earned a career-best finish of 6th at Daytona. On January 9, 2024, it was announced that Balcaen would run full-time for VMS in the 2024 season, driving the No. 22 car. 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. She tied her career-best finish of sixth in the Reese's 150 and ended the year sixth in the final standings.
On January 9, 2025, it was announced that Balcaen would compete part-time for Nitro Motorsports in the 2025 season, beginning with the season opener at Daytona. Balcaen set the fastest time in the annual pre-practice.
Beyond racing, Balcaen has worked in television and as a motivational speaker. She was the co-host of the TV series Cars That Rock with AC/DC band member Brian Johnson, and a main cast member of the NASCAR reality show Racing Wives on CMT in 2019. She was a spokesperson for Canada's biggest automotive company, Kal Tire, during a winter campaign.
This article is based on information from Wikipedia. No primary archives, autobiographies, period programmes, or specialist publications were consulted.
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