“Every driver in the sports pays to get in”: Amber Balcaen quotes Ross Chastain while doubling down on NASCAR's harsh reality

ARCA Menards driver Amber Balcaen has expanded Cup Series driver Ross Chastain's take on competing in NASCAR. Balcaen, the first female Canadian to win a US NASCAR-sanctioned event, shared the struggles to secure backing in a sport where funding is everything.

During an episode of the Barn Talk show, Chastain commented on the "unspoken" rule of NASCAR and explained how the sport works like any business.

"Every driver in the sport pays to get in. Just a matter of how long and how much per race you pay. But it's the unspoken kind of don't want to talk about it, but every driver pays to get in. Whether it's their money, their family, or somebody they know. It could be a legitimate sponsor, but that sponsor is only going to sponsor them because of their personal relationship," Ross Chastain said.

Balcaen doubled down on the Trackhouse Racing driver's harsh reality check, quoting him and adding her take in a story on Instagram.

"Most people don't realize what it actually takes to be in this sport. This is true for every driver. You either have money or you find money. When I'm not racing, it's because the financial backing isn't there. Period. This is why sponsors are so important. And why you see drivers compete full time some years and only part time in other years," Amber Balcaen wrote.

Amber Balcaen's story on October 25 - via @amberbalcaen10 on Instagram

The sponsorship model in NASCAR puts money at the center of opportunity. Top-level primary deals can cost millions per season. According to reports, primary packages hover between five and thirty-five million dollars yearly.

Teams use this sponsorship money to cover team expenses like travel, testing, and race entry charges.

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Amber Balcaen plans to move to the NASCAR Canada Series

Amber Balcaen, who raced full-time in the ARCA Menards Series last season with Venturini Motorsports, has made only two starts this season.

She joined Nitro Motorsports in the No. 70 Toyota and finished 29th at the season-opener in Daytona and improved to 16th at Talladega Superspeedway. Earlier this year, she announced her plans to return to Canada to compete in the NASCAR Canada Series. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native also put out a call for Canadian sponsors in June to support the move.

Balcaen comes from a racing family. Her father and grandfather both raced on dirt ovals and started karting at age ten. She has previously partnered with ICON Direct to sponsor her for 40 races in the BMR Drivers Academy, a NASCAR Development Program. ICON also launched an AI chat tool at Daytona this year. The Ask Amber AI version of Balcaen was created with an AI firm, Gambit Technologies.