His Daytona performance earned him a position with the MacLean Racing Team riding a Honda RS500 in the 1986 AMA Formula One Championship. Ballington fought with Randy Renfrow in a season long battle before finishing the season in second place.
After his impressive Daytona performance, Ballington was hired by the MacLean Racing Team to ride a Honda RS500 in the 1986 AMA Formula One Championship. He battled Randy Renfrow throughout the season for the top spot, ultimately securing second place.