DirtonDirt

Four-time Northern Late Model Racing Association champion Mike Balcaen of Winnipeg on Saturday was part of the 18th class inducted into the Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame.

The 60-year-old Balcaen, the Hall of Fame’s first Dirt Late Model inductee, has competed in dirt racing divisions for 50 seasons with more than 250 feature victories and 56 track and series championships, his first in 1986 at Winnipeg Speedway. His NLRA titles came in 2000, ’02, ’08 and ’10 and his 26 career NLRA victories are tied for third all-time on the circuit.

Balcaen was also listed by DirtonDirt among the top five Canadian Dirt Late Model racers from 2001-25.

Balcaen employed three crew chiefs over his career — Steve Belanger, Tom Howards and Jim Gourlay — with additional crew help from Lance Burton and Harry Klaus.

He owns and operates Mike Balcaen Racing, supplying chassis, shocks and racing components for customers as well as assembling complete race cars. His daughter Amber Balcaen followed her father’s tire tracks into racing and has competed on the ARCA Menard’s Series among other divisions.