Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

9/26/18 4:36 PM BALLOU SUSPENDED FOR REMAINDER OF 2018 USAC SEASON

http://usacracing.com/news/sprint-ca...18-usac-season

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BALLOU SUSPENDED FOR REMAINDER OF 2018 USAC SEASON

On September 24th, the United States Auto Club Competition Committee held a comprehensive review regarding numerous actions conducted by Robert Ballou, a USAC National Sprint Car competitor. These actions follow several discussions between USAC and Ballou during the 2016 and 2017 USAC racing season, in which similar actions were repeated. All of Ballou's actions reviewed were deemed detrimental to the sport of auto racing.

On September 25th, a meeting was held with Mr. Ballou, along with key industry track partners, to discuss the repeated concerns.

The findings of the Competition Committee and action taken is as follows under USAC Rule 10.32:

Continued violations of USAC Competition Rules and Procedures have imposed harm and risk to the viability of the USAC National Sprint Car Series. As such, the United States Auto Club has imposed the following fines and penalties for the 2018-2019 seasons for Robert Ballou:

1. Prohibited from all USAC competition for the remainder of calendar year 2018.

2. Forfeiture of USAC annual points funds presented by AMSOIL for recognition of Championship points.

3. Competition allowed in USAC Racing in 2019 under probation with zero tolerance for similar actions.

These fines and penalties are effective immediately.

*

Bs

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

I guess Steward telling drivers not to come back is OK with USAC? USAC just lost a bunch of fans This is a lot of BS, all Ballou did was voice his opinion sane as Steward did with Napcar

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

I like Robert, but he was wrong with what he did, and it is not the first time. The things he said were harmful to the sport. I think his retraction was a step in the right direction, but if teams continually bash tracks then there will be no tracks for the series to race on. I feel bad for Robert and maybe he can appeal, but once the s**t is out of the horse, you can't put it back.

Bahahahahaha, no wonder he pulled a 180 on his remarks about Stewart and Eldora.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Don't forget this is the second year in a row.

When someone is risking your sanction losing five or more races That's detrimental.

Like I said, I like Robert as a person, Love his competitiveness and skill. Don't know what he's going to do now, If it's strap on a wing or what. If he does the same thing, wherever, It will come down too the same result.

Who moves up in Smackdown points?

Clown decision.

I don’t like Ballou at all, but this is just silly.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

What, Drivers haven't bee en banned from Eldora before?

I seem to remember a kings royal or HBO that Johnny Herrera was stopped at the flag stand and escorted through the grandstand and out the front gate with a one year ban.

My plans for Saturday night just changed

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

This is a damn outrage! What ever happened to free speech? The guy risks his life for our entertainment & this is what he gets?
Chickenshit move by USAC....:7:

Ballou is a very talented driver and puts on one heck of a show on the track. I’m not a fan of his but respect his competitiveness. He hates to lose, that’s clear.

However, as Mr Funk said, this isn’t his first rodeo with pushing the boundaries. I think he was out of line by accusing a track of trying to kill someone. Those types of comments are harmful to the sport, tracks and sanctioning bodies for which he gladly accepts winnings from.

Seems whenever he doesn’t finish first he blames the track prep (even though other cars raced on the same track and finished better than him), blames the car, blames other drivers, etc. No accountability. Yet he gladly pockets whatever winnings he earns for his finish.

I couldn’t repeatedly bash my employer and not expect some sort of consequence.

Everyone has their opinions but at the end of the day, this is between USAC & Ballou and no one else.

Now let’s enjoy what’s left of this racing season!

Levi Jones just mad he already has more wins than him and will pass Darland easily

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

With this harsh of a punishment, me thinks that Mr. Ballou may have been warned that this could happen. Actions have reactions. Enjoy the rest of your race season you lucky midwesterners.

Here we go with 7horse again 😂😂😂 this guy is freaking great.

That being said I’m shocked to see so many people defending Robert after so many attacked him for what he said.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

I guess Mr Ballou will just have to put the wing back on. He can make it to the Grove by Friday.

Is there any wonder usac is losing so many guys to winged racing with bs moves like this

IMO, USAC is stronger in all divisions, top to bottom, than it has been in a very long time.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

[QUOTE=1021gpa;502742]Is there any wonder usac is losing so many guys to winged racing with bs moves like this[/QUOTE Like who?

He was banned because of one of his crew was fighting.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Speaking as if you have facts but don’t tell what you know again. What five or six events will usac lose potentially??? Please enlighten us with your in the know info. Before you ask, I have not been to town hall meetings like you have and am not friends with the local track promoter either. Tell us your info if it’s credible.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

I would say the fact that he offered a retraction would back that up. Feel bad he got himself in this. Hope he comes back strong. Every one has consequences to what they say. I have looked and have seen several drivers comment positive about the track, even the 2 that crashed in midgets and their car owner.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Free speech protects you from government censorship or legal consequences. It is not a protection from consequences enforced by an employer or association you voluntarily elect to be a member of, or participate with. Criticize your employer or the company you work for in any line of work and see how long you keep that job. Most companies would sever all ties with someone criticizing them or one of their contracted facilities after repeated social media outbursts. Personally, I think being suspended the rest of the year after doing this for the third year in a row is letting him off easy.

If he is not allowed, or chooses not to race with USAC in the future, he can find plenty of races with MSCS, WAR, BOSS, MTS, etc. Maybe heading back west is an option also.

USAC is not his employer, any more than the NFL is the employer of the players. This decision is another example of USAC shooting themselves in the foot. Whereas I do not agree with all his statements the idea that is prevented from pursuing their vocation based upon critical statements is fraught with potential legal pitfalls. Unlike other professional sports auto racing is generally at the mercy of independent contractors. I will await more info, but for now this seems extremely short sighted by USAC. I hope we are not going down PC road of NASCAR.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Your right their not his employer. But he has chose to race with them and since he made that choice he raced under their rules at those events. Eldora was under USAC sanction on Saturday. This wasn't the first time he has been critical of a track. I suspect he'd been warned before. Now he bit off more them he can chew end of story.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Glad to see USUCK at it again what a classless organization he was not on probation this year at all and they go back on the 2016 -2017 deal. This deal is between Robert and tony nobody else and I guess its ok for tony to ***** about track prep at Williams grove last month and he also left the chili bowl this year over the prep plus screwed it up for the feature the year before. As for usac guess its okay to throw haymakers on the frontstretch at kokomo last year and nothing happens because this driver is in the click, right spridge, always glad to see you and the spoiled brat Levi taking things to the next level along with miller and wonder why USUCK is viewed as a joke.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Both nights on the USAC portion of Lets Race two and the three crown races. Ballou is a representative and competitor of the Sanction Running.

You don't think Smoke couldn't schedule a two night WoO and LM race in it's place and be every bit as successful if not more? I got no facts for nothing, But it does nothing to either KEEP or GROW the USAC brand by accusing a track of trying to kill someone when that track has made millions in improvements, Lighting, fencing safety crew, etc.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

I am not a Ballou fan but this is a chickensh*t move by USAC.Tony Stewart & USAC should be above this bullsh*t.Tony stay off Twitter & have Eldora make a official comment saying all attempt was made to have a fast & safe race surface for all the race teams blah blah.:20:

Usuck needs to not let the hypocrite Tony Stewart run their organization I believe he left early at the Chili Bowl because of the track conditions and they wouldn't let him work the track.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

There were fines after last years Smackdown, in fact the highest I have ever heard of. When Stanbrough went after Levi at the Smackdown, I do not believe he was fined. Kind of shoots your theory down. I don't know who is on the competition committee, but pretty certain Tony Stewart is not.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

wondering how much of the improved track conditions for the 4crown this year was because of ballous complaning last year. a lot of times ballou has a valid point other times like this years 4 crown he needs to understand thats as good as its gonna get.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

terre haute is going to be a lot less exciting next month.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Well said, I agreed with his observation of last years conditions, Then came home this year to see the same thing only worse from him.

Also a thing called Chain of Command. USAC Comp director, Then tracks comp director, Then Smoke.
I got suspended twice in my career for not following it. Lead, Superviosor, Plant Manager, VP.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

This just might make the local Indiana racing a little more interesting next year. He's alway's fast at the local bull rings.

I don’t like or agree with anything Ballou said. I criticized him for it, and won’t be a “fan” of him or his mouth. The “getting someone killed” comment is what made me so mad. But, I think it’s a pretty stiff penalty myself. That’s without knowing what all else was involved in USAC’s decision other than this incident. And I have DEFINITELY been critical of USAC. Pretty severe price I’d think?

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Maybe he's tried to talk to the track owners about conditions and safety? We don't know, so maybe by voicing his opinion during interviews, podcasts, or twitter is the only way to make us aware of the problems. Others are to chicken s**t to say anything. I hate to see USAC put a ball gag in the driver's, team owner's, crew chief ect.. mouth. I seriously doubt that what he has said will affect attendance at any one track or is detrimental to them. Gimmie a break, you really think people are going to stop going to Eldora because of what he said? If anything his appearance brings people to the track! I hope he shows up at TSS for the MSCS/WAR show and kicks ass. I'd hate to see him leave the midwest. He always puts on a hell of a show for the fans and is always fan friendly. Keep your elbows up Robert, you got the shaft.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

So he schedules something else. Who cares and move on. There are other tracks that could run USAC. If Tony wants to run Wings and LMs so be it.

Btw the millions in improvements are because he is covering his ass from lawsuits. Everyone sues a guy with money. I see no improvements in the racing. Btw isn’t the racing why we go?? Not the lights, fences, and crew. Time to move on from Eldora.

USAC: another “non profit organization “ where the president makes almost half a million a year. But they just can’t pay more to the racers.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Not really usuck modified there rulebook in 2017 for the penalties to it is there discretion on when and where penalties are applied which means depends on who it is for them and has for Jon and Levi deal that year Jon should have planted him on the frontstretch and has like the night before usuck surrounded levis trailer to protect him just like Lawrenceburg the night before when he ran over Roberts front end after a race which did not have a dam thing to do with him but like always usuck circled his trailer to protect and cover his ass. To answer your last deal Tony and rudisell was on the track committee they referred to in there statement posted here today imagine that. Everyone that has been in racing for a while knows that Eldora has been neutered and still has dusty as ever and Lawrenceburg is a ******** track, facilities are great they just bleeped up the most important thing.

Re: Usac: Ballou suspended for remainder of 2018 usac season
 

Best dang track and racing I've seen there in years. Yes, I also got the Dust out, Fog out, The 3am leave with one feature to go because of a overwater and last years dustbowl. Saturday Night was exactly what I went to see. Three wide champ cars for multi laps. Last to second in the sprints. Every heat won from the third row.

Sorry you missed it.