Born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, Ballington's family emigrated to South Africa when he was young. He used his domestic production road racing experience as a springboard to gain entry into the British domestic racing competitions.[4]
After a slow start to the season, he won four 250cc Grand Prix races along with two second places and two third places to claim his first 250cc World Championship.[1][2] Ballington was even more dominant in the 350cc class where he won six times along with three second places finishes to claim the 350cc world championship.[1][2][3] The 1979 season was equally as successful for Ballington, winning seven 250cc Grand Prix races and five 350cc Grand Prix races to claim his second consecutive double world championships.[1][2]
In 1980, he finished second to Anton Mang in the 250cc world championship, and campaigned Kawasaki's new KR500 in the premier 500cc division. However, developing a new bike in the premier class proved to be difficult, and after three years Kawasaki was unable to recreate the same success they had experienced in the smaller classes although, they were more successful competing in the 1982 ACU 500cc British National Championship where, Ballington won six consecutive races to win the title for Kawasaki.[5] After three seasons without making significant gains on their competition, Kawasaki made the decision to withdraw from world championship competition after the 1982 season leaving Ballington without a job.[6]
His Daytona performance earned him a position with the MacLean Racing Team riding a Honda RS500 in the 1986 AMA Formula One Championship.[6] Ballington fought with Randy Renfrow in a season long battle before finishing the season in second place.[9] He returned in 1987 to compete on a Honda NSR250 in the AMA 250cc road racing national championship where he finished second to John Kocinski.[6] Ballington competed in the 1988 AMA 250cc road racing national championship before making the decision to retire.[6]
Ballington now lives with his family in Brisbane, Australia. In 2018, the FIM inducted him into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame.[3]
^ abNoyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN1-874557-83-7
^Clifford, Peter (1982), Motocourse 1982-1983, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN0-905138-22-8, Kork clinched the title at the penultimate round at Oulton Park early in October after a battle royal throughout the series with luckless Keith Huewen...