Ridetech drivers and Ridetech sponsored drivers going to OUSCI (OPTIMA ULTIMATE STREET CAR INVITATIONAL) in Las Vegas (driver 4)
A somewhat newcomer to the racing scene that you may not know right off the bat, is Dan Ballard. Ballard is a hard-working body man by day, who moonlights in as a hard-wrenching mechanic for his family’s business Above Average Motorsports in Cincinnati Ohio. I first met Dan at one of the first Goodguys events I worked after moving to the Midwest (Nashville, I think) where he was battling it out against my car -- being driven by someone else. Right away, Ballard was willing to take any and all advice being given to him on how to set up his car, drive and be a good ‘pit citizen’; as a result, Dan has gained a lot of friends. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he brings amazing cookies and desserts to every event.
As I recall, Ballard’s (perceived) claim to fame is the fact that most people think his car is a Nova that was owned by RideTech’s Grand Poobah Bret Voelkel.
After building his Nova for the drag strip, Ballard happened upon an autocross event and thought it looked like a lot of fun (duh!). After running the autocross with a drag-strip-worthy transmission and 225 front tires he was hooked. Dan has since replaced that tranny, opted for some fat Falkens and run a couple of year’s worth of Midwestern Goodguys and Southern ASCS events. After some convincing from a few noteworthy autocrossers, Dan committed to several USCA events and is now on everyone’s radar. Don’t let that beige exterior fool you, Dan is a worthy opponent in all areas of USCA competitions.
When asked why he chose RideTech, Ballard had this to say: “Even when I had mis-matched suspension on the car, the RideTech crew was always there, willing to help with shock tuning. After a few events with non-RideTech coilovers, I talked to Bret and few other employees about their new coilovers and I made the move and bought the single adjustables. Ride quality was night and day; I ran the car that way for a year. Then after some big changes to the car, it was time to step up and do the triples and WOW, that’s when the car became a different animal. I still didn’t have RideTech control arms though and when the new style came out, I was lucky enough to be sent a set to try –completing my RideTech suspension. Everyone at RideTech has helped me and my car so much; they will stop what they are doing to help one of their customers.”
With such kind words to say, I pressed Ballard further for his thoughts on the differences in performance since he transitioned to a full RideTech set-up. He replied, “The first thing I noticed when I switched to RideTech suspension was the ride quality. Then when I started adjusting the coilovers, the car just got faster and faster.”
Because Ballard is a lot like me, a do-it-yourselfer on a budget, I asked him what he would tell people about the importance of suspension when racing. He said “Adjustable and easy to tune is key. You don’t have to spend $10,000-$15,000 on suspension to have fun. Also, you can have all the horsepower in the world but if you can't put it to the ground, you’re going nowhere. That is when suspension comes into play; suspension is the #1 place to spend money.”
Knowing that Dan is a first-timer at OUSCI like me, I was interested to know what he was looking forward to in Las Vegas, not surprising that we are looking forward to the same things! He continued to tell me “I’m looking forward to just having a fun time with a bunch of friends and car people. Getting to run with some of the best pro touring cars and drivers in the country is an honor. I might not be the faster car/driver or best looking car, but I’m going to give it everything I have to go fast.” Dan also admitted that he’s looking forward to some sleep after working on not only his car but popular driver Danny Popp’s Corvette to get ready for the championship.
Well Dan, I will be right next to you, trying hard to make a good showing in such strong company. Good luck and have a great time!