Amber
Colvin

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 Amber is chosen for Combine for 2012 NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity Team

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Profile

Meet Amber Colvin


At fifteen years old, most young girls are experimenting with makeup, spending their weekends with friends and spending their pocket money on clothes and shoes. Not many are racing a Chevy Coup at 120mph, like Amber Colvin.

Born in December 1993, in Tallahassee, Florida, Amber has been racing since she was ten years old. Her father, Wayne, bought her a kart for Christmas. “In about three months, she had driven the cart so hard that she broke he wheels off of it.” He recalls. “I ran into a cousin that had a racing cart which I ended up purchasing. It was a 1997 model Shadow. The cart was pretty well worn out and I built the engine in my shop.”

Amber’s first race was in August 2004, a mere eight months after first sitting in a kart, and at only eleven years old. The Shadow, with soft tires and a home-made engine, yet she still managed to be consistently quick.

A family friend soon spotted the potential in Amber’s racing, and encouraged her father to buy her a new cart. He did, and in her first race in the new car she won by half a lap.

In December 2004, Amber qualified 37th out of the 250 in her class at Daytona. This was the start of her racing career, just one year after she had first stepped foot in a kart.

She then went on to win 42 of 44 races in two years of a very successful karting career.

The next step in her already flourishing career was to join the Bandoleros series, in which she finished second in her first season, a mere one point behind the overall winner.

In 2008, Amber switched to legend racing in a field with a ratio of around fifty males to one female. As does the majority of the field, Amber raced a Chevy Coup; the difference between the winners and losers is solely down to driver and set up - a challenge that Amber relishes within the series. She flourished in the competition as well; the young star made 39 starts, achieved 36 top ten finishes, 24 top fives and an incredible 6 wins.

Unfortunately, her progress this season has been hindered by a lack of sponsorship, and as a result she has only been able to compete in a handful of races. However, in the seven races Amber has managed to race in, she has continued to impress, finishing in the top five six times.

So how does it feel to be not only one of the youngest but also one of the only girls in the series?

“It is difficult to compete in a ‘mans’ sport most of the time; I don't get good calls a lot and I am judged for being a girl. But I can't let people’s negative thoughts get me down. I have to prove them wrong. Not just for me but for every female who is put down for being a girl. The end result is worth pushing through people in disbelief.”

Amber says that her one main ambition is to become the first female NASCAR driver to win a major race or championship, and with a career sheet as impressive as hers already is, there is no reason why she won’t.
Source: Sarah Lancaster www.girlracer.co.uk

News

Amber is chosen for Combine for 2012 NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity Team


Amber Colvin has been officially selected and one of the invitees to the 2012 NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity Combine to be held at Langley Speedway on October 18th, 19th, and 20th.

Drive for Diversity is a NASCAR diversity program that gives minority and female drivers, that otherwise would not get the opportunity, the chance to compete in the NASCAR Whelen Series and the K&N East Series. The instruction, seat time, experience, knowledge, and direction that these drivers get can be the catalyst for leading to bigger and better things at the upper levels of Stock Car Racing.

25 drivers are chosen out of several hundred applications to go to the combine and compete for 6 to 8 positions on the team for 2012. Some of these drivers will be slated to drive K&N East cars and others will be chosen to compete in the Late model NASCAR Whelen Series. The three day combine will take place at Langley Speedway on October 18th, 19th, and 20th. The drivers will be tested on a number of things that include but are not limited to, car knowledge, instructability, consistency, speed, car control, marketability, and attitude. All of these are necessary components of a successful racer.

Amber has shown high levels of competence in all of these categories and promises to set a high bar for the other invitees to reach. Amber has demonstrated excellent car control and competitive abilities, while also showing tremendous maturity on and off the race track. This test is sure to be one of the highest pressure situations that Amber has ever face in a race car but is one that she should handle well. Amber has always been an underdog in all levels that she has raced at and is used to dealing with pressure in stride.

“I have been waiting for this announcement all year” said Amber, “Now I get a chance to display all that I have learned and my ability to continue learning”.

After finishing the 2011 summer in Legends Cars where Amber Finished 5th in the points at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout, Amber topped the summer off with 5 late model races that netted her 4 top 10 finishes and 1 top 5 in her first five Late Model Races. As if that wasn’t good enough, she also brought the car back in one piece after her first 5 Late Model Races. Amber displayed fantasic natural ability and great self control in doing the best she could without over driving her or her car’s abilities. Amber finished this summers races with 23 starts- 19 top tens -14 top fives – 7 top threes – 1 win Amber looks forward to a productive and successful season with the Drive 4 Diversity Program in 2012.

Amber Colvin has been officially selected and one of the invitees to the 2012 NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity Combine to be held at Langley Speedway on October 18th, 19th, and 20th.

Drive for Diversity is a NASCAR diversity program that gives minority and female drivers, that otherwise would not get the opportunity, the chance to compete in the NASCAR Whelen Series and the K&N East Series. The instruction, seat time, experience, knowledge, and direction that these drivers get can be the catalyst for leading to bigger and better things at the upper levels of Stock Car Racing.

25 drivers are chosen out of several hundred applications to go to the combine and compete for 6 to 8 positions on the team for 2012. Some of these drivers will be slated to drive K&N East cars and others will be chosen to compete in the Late model NASCAR Whelen Series. The three day combine will take place at Langley Speedway on October 18th, 19th, and 20th. The drivers will be tested on a number of things that include but are not limited to, car knowledge, instructability, consistency, speed, car control, marketability, and attitude. All of these are necessary components of a successful racer.

Amber has shown high levels of competence in all of these categories and promises to set a high bar for the other invitees to reach. Amber has demonstrated excellent car control and competitive abilities, while also showing tremendous maturity on and off the race track. This test is sure to be one of the highest pressure situations that Amber has ever face in a race car but is one that she should handle well. Amber has always been an underdog in all levels that she has raced at and is used to dealing with pressure in stride.

“I have been waiting for this announcement all year” said Amber, “Now I get a chance to display all that I have learned and my ability to continue learning”.

After finishing the 2011 summer in Legends Cars where Amber Finished 5th in the points at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout, Amber topped the summer off with 5 late model races that netted her 4 top 10 finishes and 1 top 5 in her first five Late Model Races. As if that wasn’t good enough, she also brought the car back in one piece after her first 5 Late Model Races. Amber displayed fantasic natural ability and great self control in doing the best she could without over driving her or her car’s abilities. Amber finished this summers races with 23 starts- 19 top tens -14 top fives – 7 top threes – 1 win

Amber looks forward to a productive and successful season with the Drive 4 Diversity Program in 2012.
Source: www.ambercolvin.com/uncategorized/amber-is-chosen-for-combine-for-2023-nascar-drive-4-diversity-team/

Amber made good showing in her first Late Model race


Amber started her Late Model Driving career by running twin 25 lap races on Hickory Motor Speedway on 8/6/2011 in a coil over car with a built motor.

After having electrical problems and missing the first practice, which allowed her only one 10 minute practice, Amber qualified 11th for both races, with 15 cars starting.

Amber got off to a good start and although the car was bad tight, she held her own and simply tried to let everyone single out and clock laps to learn by. While running 11th I caught 9 and 10 going into turn one. The 10 place car dumped the 9thplace car about two car lengths in front of me. Amber managed to get stopped with no damage and the 13th place car drove under her. The car was still drivable and she continue. While running in 6th the 6 car doored me down the front stretch and then under caution hit me 3 or 4 times. After the restart we were racing side by side and on the white flag lap he tried to drive under Amber in one but she was faster on the high side and just before she cleared him he turned right and caused her to spin. Amber grabbed a gear and got going again and still finished 7th. We had cosmetic damage which we fixed before the second race and Chuck made some adjustments to the car.

Race two started and the car was a lot better. Everyone was being a little dicey so Amber decided to simply keep up for the first few laps and let things settle out and then see what she could do. It didn’t take long for the caution to fly and Amber missed the wreck. Amber was 8th when they fired and was running side by side with the 6 car in front of her. After a couple of laps of running on the back bumperof 7th Amber started under him in turn on and the 51 drove across the corner and hit her in the middle of turn one in the left rear. It turned her around and she got in the wall with the left rear, but with only cosmetic damage. After getting the car fired back up Amber started in the rear of 12 cars and managed to drive back to 10th in two laps. Amber then caught the 07 and got under him. They raced side by side for 6 or 8 laps and both raced hard but kept it clean. The 15 car went for a spin on the back stretch with 2 to go. Again Amber was 8th on the restart and going into turn she got jacked up and had to collect the car and lost two spots. Amber still finished a solid top 10th place to give her two top 10 finishes in her first two starts.

The best thing about the entire day is that Amber kept her cool in some bad situations, through the electrical issues that threatened to end her day early, and on the track. She reacted to track situations and her spotter’s instructions very well. Amber also showed good car control, was pretty consistent throughout the night, and brought the car home in was minimal damage.
Source:
www.ambercolvin.com/uncategorized/amber-made-good-showing-in-her-first-late-model-race-on-862011/

Results

2011 – This year will see Amber in a Legend Car and a Limited Late Model for Revolution Racing. Amber will be moving to Charlotte where she will be racing at Hickory Motor Speedway, Tri-County, Charlotte, Concord, and Orange County. Amber will be receiving driving instruction in the Late Model while mentoring another young lady in the legend car. This proves to be a great year and a great experience for Amber, as she will be racing in front of and with some of the best competition in the country.

2010 – Amber was chosen to receive the 2010 NASCAR Diversity Young Racer Award and was honored with that award in Daytona Beach, Florida at the Daytona 500 Race.

2009 – brought a bad economy and only a hand full of races for Amber, yet even though she was racing periodically and on old tires, has managed to stay in the top 5 in 6 of the seven races she has run including to third places in one weekend and a 4 month lay-off.

2008 – Amber has moved into Legend cars and achieved 39 starts, 36 top tens, 24 top fives, and 6 wins. A very good rooky year in 2008.

2007 – In November of 2007 Amber attended her first meeting of the Lyn St. James Driver Development Program. This promises to be a priceless affiliation and we both (Amber and Dad) look forward to future meetings.

2006 – The team took Amber out of go-karts and put her in Bandoleros in October of 2006. She won 4 of her first 5 races: 3 at Albany – Georgia, and 1 at Lanier National Speedway.

2005 – In March of 2005, Amber won the Winter points at Crossroads Motorplex on both asphalt and dirt. Amber also told us that she wanted to drive for NASCAR.

Amber drove go-karts for two years and won 5 points championships at Crossroads and still hopes to drive for NASCAR.

Schedule

 

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