Patrick Long, the youngest American to win the four sportscar endurance racing ‘classics” – the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 At Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans – is on something of a hot streak, having won a stockcar road course race at Portland International Raceway and a sportscar race at Lime Rock on consecutive weekends. Long, a Southern California native, has been doing an apprenticeship of sorts in stockcars since 2009, and made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Road America in 2010, qualifying 7th. Long has now won in three stockcar series – in the K&N Pro Series East, K&N Pro Series West and ARCA RE/MAX Series.
Two weekends ago, in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Bi-Mart Salute to the Troops 125, Patrick claimed his first stockcar victory of 2010 with a win, driving for Speed Wong Racing. Making only his fifth West Series start, Long won the pole and led 51 of 65 laps en route to victory, claiming his second career West Series win. He said, “We were very prepared. We sat down Saturday night at the hotel and we just went over and over all our scenarios. We were determined not to make the mistake that a few had made last year, where they stopped very early and had great track position, but ran out of fuel at the end. I knew how good this car was and I knew that we didn’t have to be heroes on the strategy. We were going to be there at the end if we could keep our noses clean.”
Photos © John Dagys 2010