Florida native entering second year with ML Motorsports
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Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
Like any racecar driver, Johanna Long wants to win. And along with that, the 20-year-old Pensacola, Fla., native wants people to know her and the Warsaw-based ML Motorsports team are at the track. Though Long is only scheduled to compete in 21 of the 32 NASCAR Nationwide Series races this season, she isn’t interested in taking a backseat to the full-time, high-dollar teams from the south. “I want people to know we’re there,” Long, driver of the Mary Louise Miller-owned No. 70 Chevy, said when asked what her goals are for the 2013 season. “The big teams, the Cup drivers that come down to our series, I want them to know we’re there. I want to give 110 percent every weekend we’re at the track.” Long, who now lives in Charlotte, N.C., is entering her second season with ML Motorsports. As a rookie in the Nationwide Series last year, she drove in 21 races. Her season-bests were an 8th-place qualifying effort at Richmond International Raceway, and 12th-place finishes at Daytona International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. “Last year was a learning experience,” said Long, who was in Warsaw this week at the team’s 40,000-square foot shop on U.S. 30W. “I was with a new team, I had to get used to new cars (after driving in the NASCAR Truck Series). Last year was about learning. We’re really excited about this year.” Long and ML Motorsports will be in Florida for the Feb. 23 season opener at Daytona. A year ago at this time, Long had never driven in a Nationwide Series race. She had never driven for an owner other than her dad, Donald Long, a succesful late model driver in his own right. With those firsts out of the way, Long admits there’s a different feeling going to Daytona this time around. “Yeah, there’s a different feeling,” said Long. “It’s always exciting starting a new season, but this year I definitely have more experience than last year. I’ve gotten to know (crew chief) Mark (Gutekunst) and the guys, and I have confidence in my team. I’m really excited about this year.” To prove the experience that Long gained last season – in her first race at Daytona she qualified 21st and finished 21st, but improved to qualifying 11th and finishing 12th at the 2.5-mile track when the series went back in July. “It’s intense,” Long said of racing at Daytona, where cars run in large packs, usually just inches from each other. “You have to be mentally focused. If you move around just a little bit, you can cause the big one.” While Long is getting more comfortable on the bigger tracks, it’s no secret her forte is short-track racing. She cut her teeth racing on the short tracks in the south, and in 2010 became the first female to win the prestigous Snowball Derby, one of the most well-known late model races in the country. Other past winners include Kyle Busch, Darrell Waltrip and Donnie Allison. Long won’t have to wait long to go short-track racing in the Nationwide Series this season, as the second stop on the schedule is at Phoenix International Raceway on March 2. Long and ML Motorsports are also scheduled to compete in two short-track races at both Richmond and Iowa. “Short-track racing has always been my niche,” said Long. My No. 1 races of the year are Richmond and Iowa. I love those tracks. I’m starting to like Daytona and the mile-and-a-half tracks, but short-track racing is what I love.”
