In 2014 Behar recorded two top-10s in three K&N Pro Series West starts
Aspiring stock-car driver Nicole Behar comes from a racing family, hailing from the quaintly named hometown of Otis Orchards, Washington — a suburb of Spokane in the extreme eastern part of a westernmost state.
The Evergreen State has produced several top talents who made it to NASCAR’s highest ranks, including current Sprint Cup stars Greg Biffle (Vancouver) and Kasey Kahne (Enumclaw). Though the shared home state would seem to stoke Behar’s fandom through familiarity for one, the other or both, the answer is actually, D) none of the above.
"I think it’s very cool that they came from there," Behar said, "but I’m a (Jimmie) Johnson fan."
Rooting interests aside, Behar has a chance to add her name to the list of Pacific Northwest greats. The 16-year-old took the latest step in trying to make that a reality by participating in last week’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.
Behar’s journey to a half-mile track roughly 2,600 miles from home was actually a return trip. She participated in the workshop last year and welcomed the chance to again showcase her skills, but this time without the first-time jitters.
"It really helps not being nervous because all the fear is really gone," Behar said. "It’s helped meeting new people and getting their opinion on you. Everyone has something there to offer that you can learn."
With parents who met racing go-karts as her family nucleus, Behar seemed destined to tackle a pastime with an automotive bent. She said for her eighth birthday that she wanted a horse; instead, her father showed up with a more mechanical sort of horsepower.
Since getting a feel for driving snowmobiles during Washington’s harsh winters growing up, Behar eventually graduated to bigger things, winning four championships in local karting series before moving up to full-bodied cars. She scored her first Late Model win at age 14.
All the while, Behar has had to budget her blossoming racing career with a steady regimen of schoolwork. Though she is currently a junior in high school, her participation in the accelerated Running Start program (offered in Washington and Hawaii) has allowed her to attend college courses while completing her prep degree. The dual enrollment has furthered her education, but has made her busy racing schedule at several Northwestern U.S. tracks a tricky balancing act.
"It’s definitely very difficult," Behar said. "You have to balance it out with traveling, being on the airplane and doing my homework in my spare time. You just have to keep the professors aware."
School has also been in session on the race track, where Behar has enjoyed her first taste of the developmental NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. In three starts in 2014, she recorded a pair of top-10 finishes, including a solid sixth place in her debut at State Line Speedway in nearby Post Falls, Idaho.
Her progression was enough to merit an invite back to the Combine, where she auditioned against 19 other drivers for a seat with the Rev Racing team in the K&N ranks in 2015. Behar said her plans for next season are "nothing set in stone," but that she hoped more K&N starts were in her future, on either a part-time or full-time basis.
"I’m very grateful for this opportunity, no matter if you get selected or not," Behar said. "You’re getting your name out there, getting more experience driving different cars. Everyone’s looking at you and telling you what you can do differently, so it’s just fun learning from everyone here."
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