Nicole Havrda is hard to keep in one place.

Even scheduling this interview, the Record had to work around her schedule of flying off to different parts of North America. But the real reason she's hard to pin down is because she goes just so damn fast.

Havrda, at only 18 years old, is just coming off her first full season on the North American F3 circuit, placing sixth overall, with a few podium finishes including at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. Add that to her special award for most passes (28), that makes Havrda the most successful female driver in the Formula Regional Americas championship ever.

Yet, Havrda wishes the season could have gone better.

"Obviously, I hoped for a better end result. But it is what it is, you know, you have your mechanical failures, and your physical failures too. In one race, I actually went straight into a concrete wall, and did something to my neck and my back," she said. "The race weekend has three races, and it happened in my practice session. So I went into qualifying and my back just hurt like crazy and then ... you know, the three races, that's a lot of points. So I kind of lost out on that, but it is what it is."

She will get another chance at improving next year, however. Since this was Havrda's first season on the Formula Regional Americas, she was going in to most of the tracks blind. Next year, she'll have a better idea of the courses and how everything works.

"I know what I can do and I also know the tracks for next year," she said. "It's a lot to learn as well, so the next year will be a little easier for that."

Havrda's goals, while they may seem lofty to many, are actually within the realm of possibility for her. The top of the sport is Formula 1, and it is where Havrda would like to see herself. She has had a few brushes with that exalted realm, having spoken with F1 driver Lewis Hamilton on TSN a few years ago. She has also gone to Europe and Asia a few times for testing this year, an experience she describes as being completely different from what she's used to here in North America.

"The next goal is to race anything overseas," she said. "Formula One is all European. If you want to get into Formula one you have to race in Europe. Every continent has a different chassis that they use for the cars, and engines. When you race in Europe, it does get more pricey because they have all of the good tracks. The teams are very different, it's on a whole other professional level."

Though she does get a short break between seasons, Havrda isn't slowing down. This weekend she will be heading to Texas again to race in the World Racing League endurance race at Circuit of the Americas in Texas.

"I'm actually really excited because it's so different from Formula racing," she said. "In Formula Regionals, we're flat out for like 35 minutes. We're giving it 100 per cent. In endurance racing, you're trying to maintain the car, maintain the fuel, the tires and trying to not get too tired, physically. I'll be in the seat for two hours at a time. Even driving to Victoria, you get a little tired, mentally. Driving on the track at like 90 or even 80 per cent is quite mentally tiring."

After that, there's a month or so for her to take it easier, but soon enough she'll be back on the start line.

"I'm also trying to work at the same time," she said, laughing, and adding that her parents own a business. "I can't really have a normal job, because I'm not really here much. I don't think any boss would be happy that I'm gone all the time."