By Richie Murray
Jeremy Rhoades photo
Robert Ballou has teamed up with USAC Hall of Fame crew chief Bob East and Klatt Enterprises to compete in this Sunday, September 3rd’s “Ted Horn 100” USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series presented by TRAXXAS event at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois.
The Rocklin, California driver has made 11 champ car starts since 2010 with the last appearance coming at the 2016 season-opening “Sumar Classic” at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track.
Du Quoin was the location of, arguably, Ballou’s finest performance in a Silver Crown car to date. In the 2013 “Ted Horn 100,” he led 80 laps before running out of fuel while leading late in the race.
The 2015 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champion has made three career Silver Crown starts on one-mile dirt ovals, all coming during the 2013 season. At that May’s “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Ballou started 4th and finished 24th after being involved on an opening-lap accident. Later that summer, Ballou qualified 14th and finished 9th at the Springfield Mile in Illinois.
Ballou is one of the nation’s top Sprint Car chauffeurs. After recovering from serious injuries sustained last Labor Day weekend, he returned to victory lane in his second start back in May at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway. He won again at the Indiana Sprint Week finale at Lincoln Park Speedway in July.
Damion Gardner, a five-time AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car champion and the leader in of Silver Crown’s “Rookie of the Year” standings, has been the sole driver of the Klatt No. 6 this season. This weekend, he is occupied with CRA duties weekend at Calistoga (Calif.) Speedway’s “Louie Vermeil Classic.”
The “Ted Horn 100” begins this Sunday with pits opening at 1pm and grandstands opening at 4pm. Silver Crown practice runs from 5-6:10pm with ProSource Qualifying scheduled for 6:30pm. Pre-race ceremonies are slated for 7:30pm with the 100-mile race ready to fire at 8pm.
Advance adult tickets are $25. Advance tickets for children 11 and under are $10. On the day of the race, adult tickets are $30 and children 11 and under are $10. An adult pit pass is $35 while children 11 and under are $20.
Watch the full race a day after the event, on-demand, at http://www.Loudpedal.TV/.