Accomplished dual-surface driver Ballard just fine sharing the spotlight

CEDAR RAPIDS — Nathan Ballard has been driving the hottest Sports Modified at the track this season.

Now, he’s sharing the experience.

“We didn’t really know what we were getting into,” Ballard said. “This was an ‘A Mod’ we converted to a ‘B Mod’ for Roger Cassill, so we kind of did this deal for him.”

Heading into Friday night, Ballard was the points leader in NASCAR’s Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series Sports Mods class at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.

“We weren’t set to run points this season,” Ballard said. “We were just set out to get the car setup and maintain it… you know, make it fast.”

Mission accomplished.

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The No. 7 Sports Mod Ballard has been driving was originally raced by Landon Cassill.

“Landon would come back and race dirt with it — and then when he was racing NASCAR, this car would just sit,” Ballard said. “It’s a 2008 Dirt Dueler that he (Roger Cassill) wanted to see get raced again in the same paint scheme, so he asked me and Tim Plummer to work on it and switch back to a ‘B Mod’.”

After taking the checkered flag in four of six features, he’s stepping aside to let others take a turn behind the wheel.

“This car is going to be run by other people this year,” Ballard said. “It’s kind of like a VIP-sponsored car for other drivers that either have been sponsored by Cassill now or in the past. A couple NASCAR drivers who are friends of Landon’s are going to jump in it. It would be pretty cool to see those guys out there … just getting some bigger names out there and letting them have some fun.

“I will probably get in it again at some point.”

While stepping away from the driver’s seat — at least for now — Ballard will remain closely involved, making sure the car is track-ready each week.

“I’ll probably maintain that car, bring it to the track and get it ready for whoever’s driving it,” Ballard said. “It will kind of be my responsibility on Friday nights unless I jump into something else.”

Veteran racer Jeff King from Cedar Rapids came out of retirement to drive the No. 7 on Friday, finishing second in his first official race since 2006.

Ballard was happy to share the experience. And with his own resume, he doesn’t mind letting others take the spotlight.

In addition to his success on asphalt, Ballard reached a milestone on dirt as well, earning his 100th win in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) circuit in a Hobby Stock feature on May 30 at Columbus Junction (CJ Speedway).

“I've won a lot of races in my career, and I've got over 100 on asphalt wins and several different other sanctions,” Ballard said. “But to hit 100 in the same class, same sanction … it felt pretty good.”

Ballard, a Marengo resident, is also a two-time IMCA Hobby Stock Super National Champion, winning titles at Boone Speedway’s dirt track in 2020 and 2024.

“It’s kind of a huge accomplishment just to make the show up there, and we’ve been able to win it twice,” Ballard said. “So those are things we kind of hold our head high on.”

Ballard began racing at HD in 2005 and has won track championships in the Hornets, Hobby Stocks and Sportsmen classes. He has compiled more than 100 wins at the track.

“You kind of don’t know what you’ve accomplished until you sit back and reflect on it,” Ballard said. “We put in a lot of time and effort, and it’s good that it pays off.”