▁but ▁claims ▁regarding ▁her ▁racing ▁career ▁have ▁become ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁controvers y . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Born ▁in ▁Su ff olk , ▁Virginia ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Nor f le et ' s ▁interest ▁in ▁racing ▁began ▁at ▁age ▁ 7 , ▁when ▁her ▁father , ▁NAS C AR ▁driver ▁Bobby ▁Nor f le et , ▁double d ▁the ▁battery ▁power ▁of ▁a ▁Hot ▁Whe els ▁Bar bie ▁car ▁to ▁increase ▁its ▁speed . ▁Nor f le et ▁claims ▁her ▁racing ▁career ▁began ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 4 , ▁when ▁she ▁began ▁compet ing ▁in ▁k art ▁racing ▁events ; ▁she ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁attempt ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁drag ▁racing ▁at ▁the ▁local ▁and ▁regional ▁level . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Nor f le et ▁switched ▁to ▁entry ▁level ▁spec ▁racing ▁compet ing ▁in ▁Band ol ero ▁cars , ▁then ▁moving ▁to ▁late ▁model ▁stock ▁car ▁racing ▁on ▁short ▁tracks ▁starting ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁racing ▁season ; ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁African - American ▁driver ▁to ▁purchase ▁a ▁NAS C AR ▁Late ▁Model ▁Series ▁racing ▁license . ▁ ▁Nor f le et ▁attended ▁local ▁late ▁model ▁events ▁at ▁tracks ▁near ▁her ▁August a , ▁Georgia ▁home , ▁starting ▁her ▁Late ▁Model ▁career ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁She ▁claimed ▁to ▁begin ▁compet ing ▁in ▁NAS C AR ▁national ▁tour ing ▁series ▁competition ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁and ▁was ▁operating ▁a ▁grass ro