ROCKLIN, Calif. – After working for nearly a year to recover from an arm injury sustained in June of 2019, Robert Ballou confirmed Thursday afternoon that he is cleared to race again.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has put racing on hold across the country, Ballou plans to team up with famed Pennsylvania engine builder Don Ott for a slate of winged sprint car races that will supplement his non-winged sprint car schedule.

Ballou’s first race back will be Saturday’s Posse Unleashed event at Selinsgrove Speedway.

“It has been a long road to recovery, but I am finally in a position where I feel a lot more comfortable in the car, and am excited to race this weekend in Pennsylvania,” Ballou said. “Don Ott came to me late last year about running some winged races together in 2020, and we had a nice schedule put together to go along with my USAC schedule.

“With everything that is going on, things have changed schedule wise, but we are still excited to run what we can together starting this weekend.”

Ballou and Ott were able to test and tune the Ballou Motorsports No. 12 winged car a month ago at BAPS Motor Speedway, and it has Ballou ready to get back into action for the first time in just under a calendar year this weekend at Selinsgrove.

“I am excited to work with Don, and get back to some winged racing,” Ballou added. “I had some success in a winged car in California at the start of my career, and Don is pretty excited to work with me and get me back up to speed in the winged car.”

To compliment his planned events in Pennsylvania, Ballou will still have his familiar non-winged car in Indiana, where he will fill his schedule with USAC races once motorsports can commence again in the Midwest.

“I’m really eager to get back in the non-winged car as well,” Ballou said. “The last time out, we were able to get a win, but it came at a cost and left me with a pretty bad injury. We were trending in the right direction, so I am hopeful to continue that speed when we get back to it. I also have to thank all of these great partners that have stood behind me through this recovery.”