July 23 will mark the NASCAR Debut of 18-year old Johanna Long of Pensacola a regular on Mobile International Speedway in the Super Late Model Division.
The first race for Long will be the AAA Insurance 200 Camping World Truck Series over the O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis.
She will pilot the Billy Ballew Motorsports number 15 Toyota Tundra.
“This is a great opportunity.” Long said. “Billy Ballew Motorsports has great people and great equipment. I am looking forward to work with the team. This will be my first truck series race, so of course it will be an adjustment. Billy’s guys have been very successful helping other up and coming drivers transition into NASCAR.
I’m really excited to have the chance to learn from them and race with some of the best drives in motorsports.”
Billy Ballew Motorsports has a history of opening doors for young drivers having fielded winning trucks for Shane Hmiel, Kyle Busch, and Aric Almirola.
Long was on the track in the truck she will drive in a test session over the Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N. C. Almirola who is currently second in the season point standings on the truck circuit, was at the test session to coach Long around the race track. She has another practice session schedule at Gresham Raceway before the July 23 event.
Team owner Billy Ballew said he is delighted to have Long in his truck at O’Reilly Raceway Park. “She’s extremely talented and has been very successful up to this point. The truck series is a great venue for her to grow as a driver. She’s got all the tools to be successful, and I think this will be a good opportunity for her to develop her talent.”
The racing career for Long began at Sunny South Raceway in Grand Bay, where she participated in the legend car classes.
She then move to the pro late model division that competes on a regular basis at MIS, ultimately settling in the super late model division.
Here latest outing at Mobile International Speedway was a second place finish to race winner Chase Elliott of Dawsonville, Georgia another up and coming youngster in professional racing.
Elliot is the 14 year old son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott who drives for the Wood Brothers on the Sprint Cup circuit and is often in the pit at MIS when his son is racing.
Currently in the chase for the Gulf Coast Championship title, Long, who is the defending champion, is third in the standings behind Elliott and Bubba Pollard of Senoia, Georgia.
The AAA Insurance 200 Camping World Truck Series over the O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis will be broadcast live via the Speed Channel beginning at 6:30 pm Friday July 23, 2010.
Long is slated to race at Mobile International Speedway Saturday August 14 in the 100 lap super late model Gulf Coast Championship Series.
