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Ballou scores a pair of top 10's during first action since March
By Gary Thomas
April 23, 2007... Rocklin, CA native and current Indiana resident Robert Ballou was finally able to get back onto the track this past weekend with three straight night’s of sprint car racing. The Ballou Motorsports, MPHG Promotions Inc. team hadn’t competed since Las Vegas in early March, so it was nice to get a little decent weather that allowed the team to get some racing in.
On Friday night Robert and the team took part in the Elliottbrand Clash at the Bloomington Speedway 1/4 mile dirt track. 54 cars were on hand for the night of action at Bloomington and Robert qualified the MPHG Promotions, Gardemeyer Finish Carpentry, THR & Sons Maxim 17th quickest.
The defending Golden State Challenge Series rookie of the year was then running third in his heat race before he was crashed out forcing him into the C-main. Robert lined up fourth in the C-main and brought home a third place finish to transfer the Circle Racing Wheels, Swimming Pool Perfections, Gliko Hardware & Construction No. 81 into the B-main. The 18 year-old then started from the sixth position in the B-main and gassed it up to a second place finish to put himself in the A-main event. The feature saw Robert line up in the 14th starting position and he carved his way forward to bring home a nice eighth place finish aboard the Don Ott Racing Engines, Pro Shocks, A.R.T. Enterprise No. 81.
Saturday saw the team travel to Lawrenceburg Speedway to kick off the 2007 USAC National Sprint Car Series season. The series was originally scheduled to start the season in late March, but rain outs and postponements pushed back the season opener to April 21. Robert began the night by qualifying the MPHG Promotions, Design 500, Rod End Supply Maxim eighth quickest out of 42 cars with a lap of 11.990 around the 1/4 mile dirt track.
Robert lined up in the seventh position in the night’s fourth heat race and "The Rocklin Rocket" brought home a fifth place finish to put the Bell Helmets, BSA, Schlage No. 81 into the B-main. The talent packed B-main saw Robert finish third which transferred him into the 30 lap USAC National Sprint Car season opening feature. The 30 lap contest went very well for Robert as he started from the fourth row and after 30 laps he brought home a very solid fourth place finish.
Sunday saw Robert run his very first pavement sprint car race which came at the ½ mile paved Winchester Speedway. He qualified 25th, finished fifth in the second heat race and scored 12th in the B-main. Robert and the team will get another crack at a pavement race in less than two weeks at the Iowa Speedway, barring any weather issues.
The next scheduled events for Robert will be this coming weekend with a double header of USAC National Sprint action. Friday night will see Robert in competition at the 1/4 mile clay oval Gas City I-69 Speedway in Gas City, Indiana. Saturday it will be off to the wicked fast ½ mile Eldora Speedway. The two night’s of action are known as "Border Wars" which was created in 1995 to pit drivers against two distinctly different race tracks in one weekend. Points are awarded towards the USAC National Sprint Car title as well as the Border Wars Championship.
For more news and info on Robert Ballou and Ballou Motorsports visit http://www.balloumotorsports.com
Photos from Tulare in February taken by www.johnsracingphotos.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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