Long Excited for First NCWTS Race at Chicagoland

Looking to Rebound after Previous Race Cut Short

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 23, 2010) – Johanna Long will make her third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in this week’s EnjoyIllinois.com 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. Long will be returning behind the wheel of the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra to tackle the 1.5-mile race track.

Chicagoland Speedway will be the first mile-and-a-half venue that Long has competed at in NCWTS competition. Long made history this season when she became the youngest female driver to make a NCWTS start. The Pensacola, Fla., native made her debut at O’Reilly Raceway Park this season, where she finished 17^th. She next competed at Nashville Superspeedway and finished 34^th after she was spun out and unable to continue.

Long has already collected an impressive list of racing accomplishments.  At only 18 years old, she touts Late Model championships in the Blizzard Series and Gulf Coast Series from the 2009 season. Long won five of the 36 events she ran en route to her championships and captured the pole for the esteemed Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in 2009. Long also competed in two ARCA events last season.  

Long Comments on EnjoyIllinois.com 225:

“I can’t wait to get back on track. Our last race at Nashville didn’t turn out how we expected. I barely had anytime to race, so I’m looking forward to heading to Chicagoland.  I really enjoyed the speed and pace at Nashville.  I’ve mostly competed at short tracks, so it was nice to get some experience at a larger track. It was really fun wheeling the truck.  I was excited about racing there, but we only got three laps in before I was crashed. I’m anxious to continue learning and developing as a driver, so this will be a great opportunity.

“My guys worked so hard at Nashville and I was disappointed that we didn’t have more to show for our effort. My crew has given me an awesome truck both times I’ve raced with Billy Ballew Motorsports and I’m sure that Chicago will be no different. Hopefully this race will reflect how good this team really is.

“I’ve really enjoyed the past two Truck Series races.  Each one has been a learning experience.  The trucks are a lot different than anything I’ve ever driven, so I’m still getting the hang of them. It’s definitely a challenge, but I’m feeling more comfortable behind the wheel. I’m learning the handling characteristics and getting a better understanding of what the truck needs for the race. Each lap I take is valuable. Fortunately I have a great crew around me that helps speeding up that curve.”