Hot wheels

Special Photo Auto racer, Amber Fleeman with her Dad, Russell.

To say Amber Fleeman’s auto racing career got off to an early start is like saying car grease is hard to get out from under your nails. “I was young, in the third grade.” And now, at the grand old age of fifteen, Amber is still burning up the track.
Tammy and Russell Fleeman have been together ever since they were high school sweethearts at Central Gwinnett. Russell started racing go-carts at the age of six, and he’s still involved in racing today. With their only child, Amber, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
“Racing has always been in my blood,” Amber said, adding “it’s so much a part of me, and it’s not going away.”
It seems tagging along with dad rubbed off. “She’s been around racing all her life,” Tammy said. “We try to make it a family affair. Russell’s dad is our main sponsor.” That would be Larry Fleeman, owner of U.S. Auto Sales.
Like her father, Amber’s first taste of racing came behind the wheel of a go-cart. When she was 12, Amber started racing Bandolero cars, a sort of shrunk down version of a Le Mans race car. Now, she slides into a midsize car in the pro challenge class. Amber says her pro challenge car tops out around 90 miles per hour.

Special Photo Amber Fleeman races in the Pro Challenge Class.

“It makes me so nervous watching her,” Tammy said. “But we use the best safety equipment.”
Accidents, however, do happen. “I’ve had some pretty tough wrecks,” Amber said. “It was scary. But once you realize you’re okay you get upset about your car.”
Amber has spent the summer racing in Atlanta Motor Speedways “Thursday Thunder” series. She hasn’t captured the checkered flag yet but she does have a couple of top five finishes to show for her efforts.
“The competition is so fierce and crazy,” Amber said, the excitement revving up in her voice. “It’s every man to himself.” Man? “It’s not bad to have girls in it. A few years ago there were no girls. That just fueled my fire to beat the boys.”
Ambers choice of a sport has made her a big hit at Archer High School in Dacula.
“My friends love it,” she said. “They’re constantly wanting to know how I did. They’re very supportive.”
Off the track Amber said she’s just an ordinary teenage girl with a closet full of clothes and shoes. She said her favorite race car driver is her father, Russell. Professionally, she said it’s a three way tie between Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmy Johnson. Danica Patrick didn’t make the cut.
“She’s an awesome driver but she’s not a role model for me,” Amber said. “When I Google her I see pictures that I would never be in. I don’t like how she presents herself. I would want to be more of a role model for kids.”
It sounds like Amber already is.
Earl Gray is a freelance writer. Please send comments/suggestions to etg_3@hotmail.com.