Catchfence

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 29, 2010) - Billy Ballew Motorsports (BBM) announced today that Pensacola, Fla.’s Johanna Long will make her NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) debut at O’Reilly Raceway Park on July 23. Long will drive the No. 15 Toyota Tundra in the AAA Insurance 200. It will be Long’s first event in one of NASCAR’s top-three series.

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.

Billy Ballew, team owner BBM, anticipates Long to continue a successful progression as she takes her first step into the NCWTS.

“I’m really excited to have Johanna (Long) in our truck at ORP,” said Ballew. “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.”

BBM has a history of opening doors for young, up and coming drivers. He has fielded winning trucks for young drivers such as Shane Hmiel, Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola. He also helped jump-start stock car career of Brian Ickler, and most recently Nelson Piquet Jr. Long sees her inaugural NCWTS race with BBM as an opportunity to mature as a driver.

“This is a great opportunity,” Long said. “Billy Ballew Motorsports has great people and great equipment. I’m looking forward to working 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 drivers in motorsports.”

Long tested with BBM last week at Asheboro, N.C.’s Caraway Speedway. The .455-mile paved oval has similar characteristics to O’Reilly Raceway Park and helped prepare Long for the race ahead. The session was Long’s first opportunity to drive a NASCAR race truck. Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 51 BBM truck, was on hand to coach Long as she navigated the track.

Long will test this week at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga. Long and her 15 team will test for two days at the half-mile paved speedway.

Although her schedule is not confirmed, Long anticipates racing more NCWTS events with BBM following the AAA Insurance 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park as part of a multi-race developmental program.

About Billy Ballew Motorsports:

BBM started competing full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2002 and has had a variety of well known NASCAR drivers over the years. The list includes Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, Brian Ickler, John Andretti, Kenny Wallace, Paul Menard, Bill Lester, Geoffrey Bodine, Joe Ruttman and a host of others. It was Shane Hmiel who piloted the No. 15 for the 2004 season that brought Billy Ballew his first win at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the team’s 100th start in the NCWTS. Since then Billy Ballew Motorsports has taken 18 more trips to victory lane.

- Billy Ballew Motorsports Press Release