Amber spent the day volunteering with  B.R.A.k.E.S (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) This program was started after Jon Herbert 17 and James Herbert 12 were killed in a car that was being driven by Jon. Doug Herbert (their father) and some of Jon’s friends came together and started B.R.A.K.E.S. in hopes that they could lower the number of teenagers killes every year in car crashes. There are over 6,000 teenagers kill in the US every year in auto accidents, a large portion of which could have been avoided had they had the right instruction. 

As a Racer I have learned and use the technigues taught at B.R.A.K.E.S. on the race track to keep and gain car control and can utilize these skills on public roads as well. That along with good decision making (also learned on the track) make me a safe driver on the road. Most teenage drivers are not taught these skills and unfortunately end up learning them the hard way or get hurt or killed because of a lack of these skills.

This pro-active driving school is instructional, hands on, and provided training to over 1200 teens in 2010 and over 1600 in 2011. I would recommend that every parent send their children to B.R.A.K.E.S.

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. 

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”.

The Bobby Isaac Memorial Race at Hickory Motor Speedway proved to be a great learning experience. This was a 50 lap Limited Late Model Race with drasticly changing weather that led to a very tight car for the duration.

Started 17th and finished 14th. Although it was not the finish we were hoping for, it was a great learning experience. We made some major changes in the car and had the weather done what we thought it was going to do we would have been in great shape. We were told to grid the cars 2 hours before the race and during that time it rained and the temp dropped. Ended up with a very tight car but that gave me the opportunity to run several different lines and experiment with different entrees and exits. All and all a good day and the car is in one piece after 5 races.

Thanks to my crew for all their hard work! Sometimes the outcome is predicted by circumstances that you can not control, so you simply have to play with the cards you are dealt and make the best of things. I think my team and myself did exactly that today and I can hold my head hight for all of us.

Amber will be competing in the Bobby Isaac Memorial Race at Hickory Motor Speedway on Sept 24th and 25th.   Amber is proud to be part of the 35th annual running of the Bobby Isaac Memorial as Bobby Isaac is a big piece of NASCAR History.  Amber feels that competing in this race gives her a chance to be a part of that history and to pay a proper tribute to one of the personalities that help to shape NASCAR.

Bobby Isaac came from simple means and with no money or education, but he followed a dream, stayed true to that dream, and accomplished what so many others did not. “I hope that I can display the same determination and perseverance in chasing my dream to be the first female to win a NASCAR Championship.” said Amber. “I think there is a lot to learn from people like Robert Vance “Bobby” Isaac”.  Amber said, “I hope that in many years to come people will be able to look back and see me in the  same light as people like Bobby Isaac”. ”After all we have a few things in common. I too, come from a family of simple means, have run my 1st 8 years in substandard equipment, and I ran my 1st race in a Late Model at Hickory Motor Speedway at age 17.”

Bobby Isaac  saw his first race at Hickory Motor Speedway, in 1949, at age 17 and many years later, ran his last race at Hickory Motor Speedway. After a rough and very traveled road and while racing anything he could, in 1970 Bobby Isaac sat 50 poles with 11 wins and won the NASCAR Grand National Championship.  In 1977, while running a Late Model Sportsman race, at Hickory Motor Speedway, Bobby asked for a relief driver with 25 laps to go and collapsed after climbing from the car. The following morning Bobby died from a heart attack and was buried next door to the track on August 16, 1977. (The day that Elvis Presley died)

Bobby had also set a world record at Talladega running 201.104 MPH in 1970, along with 28 other land speed records of which some still stand. Bobby Isaac is and always will be a hero and one of the greats in NASCAR history.

While Bobby Isaac had very little education, he promoted education to those who looked up to him. ” I hope to be valedictorian when I graduate in 2012 and plan to go to college for a degree in Motorsports Engineering as well as Sports Marketing and Management. I feel that these two courses of study will give me an added advantage in my racing career.”

Amber achieved her first top 5 finish in the Limited Late Model, on August 13, 2011, at Hickory Motor Speedway. Not only was this a mile stone for Amber but it was a very special day as it was her Mother’s birthday and Mom was there to see her race the Limited Late Model for the 1^st time.

After having her clutch start slipping in practice Friday we tore the tranny out on Saturday morning and replaced the clutch at the race track. Amber went out for one practice run and was one of the fastest cars on the track so we decided to park her and save the tires, the car, and her for the race.

After a lengthy rain delay and qualifying being canceled the field was set by points and Amber started 10^th of 13 cars. While in traffic Amber was running within 1/10^th of the leader and quickly drove to 8^th. Amber then missed a wreck that was 2 car lengths in front of her. On the restart 3^rd place car was turned just past the flag stand and amber dodged the carnage.  Just a few laps later there was another caution and again the 3^rd place car was turned under the flag stand on the restart.  This time Amber was restarting in 6^th and showed great poise and control while driving through without a scratch.

The last 13 laps were very exciting as Amber raced two wide with a veteran driver while challenging him for 4^th place and almost took the position 3 or 4 times.  At this point in the race the leader was singled out and Amber was running the same lap times as the leader while running 2 wide.

This was Amber’s second trip to the race track in the Limited late Model and after a 7^th and a 10^th last week Amber got her first top five at Hickory while showing fantastic car control and great natural abilities. We look very much forward to next week and many more top 5’s to come.