Long, Local Race Team 16th At Michigan International
Posted
Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
BROOKLYN, Mich. – Johanna Long and the Warsaw-based ML Motorsports team had their best start and finish of the season Saturday. Long, driving the No. 70 Chevy owned by Mary Louise Miller, qualified 14th and finished 16th in the Alliance Truck Parts 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Prior to Saturday, the 20-year-old Pensacola, Fla. native’s best qualifying effort this season was 15th, while her best finish was 19th. Both came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. Long and the ML Motorsports team have competed in nine Nationwide Series races this season, with an average starting position of 20th and an average finish of 23rd. Long and the team are scheduled to compete in 12 more Nationwide Series races this season, with the next being June 29 at Kentucky Speedway. Joey Logano won Saturday’s race, followed in the top five by James Buescher, Kurt Busch, Cole Whitt and Austin Dillon. Sam Hornish Jr., Michael McDowell, Paul Menard, Brian Scott and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top 10. Danica Patrick finished 18th. For Logano, it was his fifth Nationwide win of the year and 14th of his career. He has won four of the last five races in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. "I've just had a lot of confidence in myself lately and my abilities and knowing what I can do," Logano said. "There hasn't been an opportunity that we let slip up yet." Buescher tried to pass Logano on the inside in the final seconds but wasn't able to and settled for second place, 0.208 seconds behind. "We took a shot at it at the end," Buescher said. "As long as you're in position, that's all you can ask for." There were seven cautions for 26 laps in the 125-lap race. Logano needed to hold on after the last one. "When I started on the inside, I got beat every time," Logano said. "I was like, 'I'm getting beat when I'm on the bottom so I might as well try the top.' It worked."
