Carl Long
Encyclopedia
James Carlyle Long is a former NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver and mechanic
who is currently returning from suspension after a violation on his car during the 2009 Sprint All-Star Race weekend. Prior to his suspension, he was a crew member on the #34 Front Row Motorsports Cup team. He has driven for numerous independent teams in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series, as well as the Auto Racing Club of America. In the past, he served as a mechanic for Black Cat Racing, Spears Motorsports
and Travis Carter Motorsports
. He has a total of 49 career wins in racing. He currently drives the 41/68 Ford Mustang
for Rick Ware Racing in the Nationwide Series.
in 1997, grabbing a win at Bristol Motor Speedway
in the #15 Austin Foods Chevy.
In 1998, he began running ARCA and Craftsman Truck races for Mansion Motorsports. Most recently, he won the championship race at Orange County Speedway
on November 12, 2006.
He began running the Cup races in 1999 with the #85 Mansion Motorsports team, but DNQ'd for every attempt throughout that year. He ran Bristol again the following year, in the Truck Series posting a career-best 9th place qualifying effort, as well as at Louisville Speedway, where he wrecked very early in the race. After more struggles in 2000, he finally qualified to make his Nextel Cup debut in one of its most prestigious races, the Coca-Cola 600
. However, Darrell Waltrip
, one of the top drivers in series history, who was retiring at the end of the 2000 season, failed to qualify. Long gave up his ride to Waltrip for the race. He made another truck race in 2000 at Texas
, where he started 33rd but finished 17th in a truck fielded by Team 23 Racing. Long would eventually make his Cup debut at Dover, qualifying 42nd but finishing 41st after a crash on lap 12. He made one more start that year, at Rockingham Speedway, finishing 32nd. He ran three races in 2001, his best finish being a 29th at the UAW-GM Quality 500. He also made his Busch Series debut in 2001 in the Aaron's 312 at Atlanta
. Driving the #49 for Jay Robinson Racing
, Carl started 41st but came across handling problems during the race, relegating him to 42nd.
In 2002, Long ran for Rookie of the Year
, but failed to earn the award mainly due to an incomplete season. Long attempted a group of the races, but failed to qualify for all except two. He started the season with Mansion Motorsports again, but when that team ran out of money, Long departed the team, originally to Glenn Racing, then to Ware Racing Enterprises
, and then finally the #59 Foster Price team, with whom he finished 39th at Atlanta Motor Speedway
. In addition, he had a sixteenth-place start at Dover for Mansion in the Truck Series (during which Long ran in the Top 10 before an engine failure), and a 30th place finish at Richmond
for Rick Ware
in the Revival Soy
truck.
, his best finish a 28th at Rockingham. He had another 28th at Rockingham the following year, as well as running the #07 for Moy Racing
at Loudon
, where his engine expired early in the race. He also ran another race for Ware at New Hampshire, but finished last. He made his first race as a team owner that season, when Matt Carter drove his #96 truck to a seventeenth place finish at Martinsville Speedway
. After failing to make a Cup race in 2003, Long returned to the Glenn Racing Dodge in 2004. In their first race together, Long's car flipped several times in a violent accident at the final race ever held at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina
, where such crashes are very uncommon. Long was uninjured, and the incident gained publicity for the virtually-unknown Long, whose popularity among the fans peaked to unprecedented levels, and also got him a ride in the following Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
, driving for fellow independent Hermie Sadler
. Long then drove at Pocono Raceway
for the fledging McGlynn Racing
operation, finishing 41st. After a final race for Glenn he ran two races with Hover Motorsports
.
Long announced he would merge his #46 team with the McGlynn Racing team to run in 2005. Although he drove only the #00 from McGlynn, Long ran 9 races that year, and had a career-best qualifying effort of 20th at Atlanta. Unfortunately, sponsors wanted 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope
to drive the car, which forced McGlynn to release Long. Long closed out the year running at Homestead-Miami Speedway
in a personally owned chassis originally purchased from Petty Enterprises
. The car was prepared in Stan Hover's shop with mostly volunteers, and a leased motor from Bill Davis Racing
was dropped into the car. Unfortunately, a crash in qualifying ended his weekend prematurely. That season Long was also announced as a driver for a new team, Victory Motorsports, owned by Terance Mathis
, but the team never ran.
In 2006, Long ran the #80 for Hover Motorsports
at the Daytona 500
, but missed the race. He attempted three races for R&J Racing
but also failed to qualify for those events. He returned to the Busch Series, driving the #23 for Keith Coleman Racing
in six races before being replaced, and also ran a Truck Series race for Jim Rosenblum Racing. He attempted a race at Bristol
with Long Brothers Racing, but did not qualify. Long joined a new Nextel Cup team, Cupp Motorsports, in the #46 Millstar Tools Dodge. Long attempted three races for Cupp, but failed to qualify for each of them. He returned with help from McGlynn to attempt the Ford 400
at the end of 2006, but did not make the race.
In 2007, Long ran a limited schedule for Long Brothers Racing in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
, posting a best finish of second. He ran two races for Carter 2 Motorsports in the Busch Series, before the team closed down. He attempted the 2008 Daytona 500
for E&M Motorsports with sponsorship from Millstar and Rhino's Energy Drink, but did not qualify. He began fielding his own car with Red Line Oil
sponsoring in the Nationwide Series, making his first start of the season at Darlington Raceway.
Long attempted the 2009 Daytona 500 with sponsorship from Romeo Guest Construction, one of Long's first sponsors in the mid 1990s when he was competing in Late Models.
In 2010, Long was named to drive the #01 Chevrolet for Daisy Ramirez's Truck Series team and the #68 Nationwide Series car for Fleur-de-lis Motorsports. For 2011, he for Rick Ware Racing in the Nationwide Series.
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
who is currently returning from suspension after a violation on his car during the 2009 Sprint All-Star Race weekend. Prior to his suspension, he was a crew member on the #34 Front Row Motorsports Cup team. He has driven for numerous independent teams in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series, as well as the Auto Racing Club of America. In the past, he served as a mechanic for Black Cat Racing, Spears Motorsports
Spears Motorsports
Spears Motorsports was a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owned by Wayne and Connie Spears of Agua Dulce, California. The team is most notable for its longevity in the Truck Series, running all but two races before their closure, their commitment to running with Chevrolet and for always running...
and Travis Carter Motorsports
Travis Carter Motorsports
Haas-Carter Motorsports is a former NASCAR and USAR Pro Cup team. It was mostly owned by former crew chief Travis Carter and Carl Haas. The team previously fielded entries in the Winston Cup Series before closing...
. He has a total of 49 career wins in racing. He currently drives the 41/68 Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
for Rick Ware Racing in the Nationwide Series.
Career leading to Sprint Cup
Long began racing in 1983 at Orange County and South Boston Speedway. He won the track championship at South Boston in 1987 and the Street Stock championship at Orange County in 1990. In 1992, he raced in NASCAR-sanctioned competition for the first time, earning Rookie of the Year honors at Orange County in the Winston Racing Series, and was awarded the Best Sportsmanship award the following season. After competing at various Winston Racing tracks in the 90's, he moved up to the Slim Jim All Pro SeriesNASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series
The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series was a NASCAR-sanctioned amateur/semi-pro racing series based in the Southeastern United States. The series was formerly known as the Slim Jim All Pro Series. The drivers who have graduated from this series include Shawna Robinson, Rick Crawford,...
in 1997, grabbing a win at Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
in the #15 Austin Foods Chevy.
In 1998, he began running ARCA and Craftsman Truck races for Mansion Motorsports. Most recently, he won the championship race at Orange County Speedway
Orange County Speedway
Orange County Speedway is a 3/8 mile asphalt oval in Orange County, near Rougemont, North Carolina. It first opened in 1966 as 1/4 mile and 5/8 mile dirt ovals, which operated until 1967 and 1973, respectively...
on November 12, 2006.
1999-2002
Long made his NASCAR debut in 1998 in the Craftsman Truck Series. at Bristol, starting 21st but finishing 31st after the engine in his #91 Mansion Motorsports Ford F-150 expired.He began running the Cup races in 1999 with the #85 Mansion Motorsports team, but DNQ'd for every attempt throughout that year. He ran Bristol again the following year, in the Truck Series posting a career-best 9th place qualifying effort, as well as at Louisville Speedway, where he wrecked very early in the race. After more struggles in 2000, he finally qualified to make his Nextel Cup debut in one of its most prestigious races, the Coca-Cola 600
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
. However, Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
, one of the top drivers in series history, who was retiring at the end of the 2000 season, failed to qualify. Long gave up his ride to Waltrip for the race. He made another truck race in 2000 at Texas
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
, where he started 33rd but finished 17th in a truck fielded by Team 23 Racing. Long would eventually make his Cup debut at Dover, qualifying 42nd but finishing 41st after a crash on lap 12. He made one more start that year, at Rockingham Speedway, finishing 32nd. He ran three races in 2001, his best finish being a 29th at the UAW-GM Quality 500. He also made his Busch Series debut in 2001 in the Aaron's 312 at Atlanta
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
. Driving the #49 for Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing is a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Currently, they field the #28 MAXelence Chevrolet Impala for Derrike Cope. Formed in 1995, they moved to the Nationwide Series in 2000, where they have attempted both full-time and part-time schedules.- Car #28...
, Carl started 41st but came across handling problems during the race, relegating him to 42nd.
In 2002, Long ran for Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
, but failed to earn the award mainly due to an incomplete season. Long attempted a group of the races, but failed to qualify for all except two. He started the season with Mansion Motorsports again, but when that team ran out of money, Long departed the team, originally to Glenn Racing, then to Ware Racing Enterprises
Ware Racing Enterprises
Rick Ware Racing the self-proclaimed "Biggest Little Team in Motorsports" has competed in every NASCAR sanctioned series, ARCA Series, the WMA Motocross Series, AMA Arenacross, Motocross and Supercross Series, Summer X-Games and Rolex Grand-Am Series since 2008 and is owned by former driver Rick...
, and then finally the #59 Foster Price team, with whom he finished 39th at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
. In addition, he had a sixteenth-place start at Dover for Mansion in the Truck Series (during which Long ran in the Top 10 before an engine failure), and a 30th place finish at Richmond
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
for Rick Ware
Rick Ware
Rick Ware , is a professional racecar driver and owner of Rick Ware Racing.When he was nine years old, he began racing motocross and moved up to the bicycle class when he was 12....
in the Revival Soy
Revival Soy
Revival Soy is a brand of soy food and supplement products developed by Physicians Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a private, family-owned company located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Dr. Aaron Tabor, M.D. founded Physicians Pharmaceuticals in an effort to help his mother with the menopausal transition...
truck.
2003-Present
He made two Busch races in 2003 for Robert CreechRobert Creech
Robert Edward Creech is a Canadian french hornist, music educator, and arts administrator. He served as director of the Canadian Music Council from 1975–1979 and chairman of the Arts Advisory Council of the Canada Council from 1976-1978...
, his best finish a 28th at Rockingham. He had another 28th at Rockingham the following year, as well as running the #07 for Moy Racing
Moy Racing
Moy Racing was an auto racing team owned by former Ford Motor Company employee Joseph Reilly which fielded entries in the NASCAR Busch Series. Drivers who piloted the Moy Racing Ford included Jimmy Kitchens, Andy Kirby, Carl Long , Bruce Bechtel, Dana White, Brad Teague, Ed Berrier, Donnie...
at Loudon
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
, where his engine expired early in the race. He also ran another race for Ware at New Hampshire, but finished last. He made his first race as a team owner that season, when Matt Carter drove his #96 truck to a seventeenth place finish at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
. After failing to make a Cup race in 2003, Long returned to the Glenn Racing Dodge in 2004. In their first race together, Long's car flipped several times in a violent accident at the final race ever held at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States named after the Marquis of Rockingham. The population was 9,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County...
, where such crashes are very uncommon. Long was uninjured, and the incident gained publicity for the virtually-unknown Long, whose popularity among the fans peaked to unprecedented levels, and also got him a ride in the following Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
, driving for fellow independent Hermie Sadler
Hermie Sadler
Herman Marion Sadler III is an American race car driver/announcer and professional wrestling promoter from Emporia, Virginia. He is also an advocate for autism research, as his daughter Hailie Dru, was diagnosed with the disorder in 2001...
. Long then drove at Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
for the fledging McGlynn Racing
McGlynn Racing
McGlynn Racing was a NASCAR racing team. Owned by Raynard McGlynn, they fielded entries in the NEXTEL Cup and Craftsman Truck Series before closing down in July 2007....
operation, finishing 41st. After a final race for Glenn he ran two races with Hover Motorsports
Hover Motorsports
Hover Motorsports is an inactive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team. They last attempted a race at the 2006 Daytona 500, when they fielded the #80 Ford Taurus for Carl Long, but failed to qualify. They were planning to partner with Peak Fitness Racing for the 2006 season, but that deal fell through...
.
Long announced he would merge his #46 team with the McGlynn Racing team to run in 2005. Although he drove only the #00 from McGlynn, Long ran 9 races that year, and had a career-best qualifying effort of 20th at Atlanta. Unfortunately, sponsors wanted 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope
Derrike Cope
Derrike Cope is a NASCAR driver. He is best known for his win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He currently drives the #28 Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing in the Nationwide Series and the #75 Chevrolet/Dodge for his own team in the Sprint Cup Series.-Early years:Cope was born in San Diego, California...
to drive the car, which forced McGlynn to release Long. Long closed out the year running at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
in a personally owned chassis originally purchased from Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises was a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina, USA. The team was owned by Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from...
. The car was prepared in Stan Hover's shop with mostly volunteers, and a leased motor from Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing was a racing team that participated in all three of NASCAR's top divisions until 2009.The team had run Toyota-branded stock cars and trucks in both the Camping World Truck Series and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. Dodge, Ford, and Pontiac previously backed the team...
was dropped into the car. Unfortunately, a crash in qualifying ended his weekend prematurely. That season Long was also announced as a driver for a new team, Victory Motorsports, owned by Terance Mathis
Terance Mathis
Terance Mathis is an American former Pro Bowl wide receiver in the NFL. Drafted in 1990 by the New York Jets, he played the majority of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He last played in the NFL in 2002 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, then retired in 2004...
, but the team never ran.
In 2006, Long ran the #80 for Hover Motorsports
Hover Motorsports
Hover Motorsports is an inactive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team. They last attempted a race at the 2006 Daytona 500, when they fielded the #80 Ford Taurus for Carl Long, but failed to qualify. They were planning to partner with Peak Fitness Racing for the 2006 season, but that deal fell through...
at the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, but missed the race. He attempted three races for R&J Racing
R&J Racing
John Carter Racing was a NASCAR Sprint Cup team. The team currently fields the 08 U.S. Chrome/SoBe Ford Fusion/Toyota Camry for Terry Labonte. It is owned by John Carter...
but also failed to qualify for those events. He returned to the Busch Series, driving the #23 for Keith Coleman Racing
Keith Coleman Racing
Keith Coleman Racing was a NASCAR Busch Series team. It fielded the #23 and #26 cars for three seasons. The team was formed in 2004 by New Orleans native, Keith Coleman and at the time bought the team's equipment from Holigan Racing and later from Bill Davis Racing.KCR debuted in 2004 at the Mr....
in six races before being replaced, and also ran a Truck Series race for Jim Rosenblum Racing. He attempted a race at Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
with Long Brothers Racing, but did not qualify. Long joined a new Nextel Cup team, Cupp Motorsports, in the #46 Millstar Tools Dodge. Long attempted three races for Cupp, but failed to qualify for each of them. He returned with help from McGlynn to attempt the Ford 400
Ford 400
The Ford 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.The race is relatively new on the NASCAR circuit, first being run in 1999. Since 2002, the Ford 400 has been part of the Ford Championship Weekend, the last week of the NASCAR season. Starting...
at the end of 2006, but did not make the race.
In 2007, Long ran a limited schedule for Long Brothers Racing in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
CARS Pro Cup Series is a stock car auto racing series in the United States. It is sanctioned by the Championship Auto Racing Series. The series races throughout the United States primarily on short tracks.-History:The sanctioning body was formed by Hooters owner Robert Brooks...
, posting a best finish of second. He ran two races for Carter 2 Motorsports in the Busch Series, before the team closed down. He attempted the 2008 Daytona 500
2008 Daytona 500
The 2008 Daytona 500 was the 50th annual running of "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. The race took place on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race was the 50th to be run since the first in 1959, won by Lee Petty. To commemorate...
for E&M Motorsports with sponsorship from Millstar and Rhino's Energy Drink, but did not qualify. He began fielding his own car with Red Line Oil
Red Line Oil
Red Line Synthetic Oil Corporation is a company that produces a full range of synthetic lubricants.-History:Red Line was founded in 1979 by Tim Kerrigan and Peter Filice in Benicia, California....
sponsoring in the Nationwide Series, making his first start of the season at Darlington Raceway.
Long attempted the 2009 Daytona 500 with sponsorship from Romeo Guest Construction, one of Long's first sponsors in the mid 1990s when he was competing in Late Models.
In 2010, Long was named to drive the #01 Chevrolet for Daisy Ramirez's Truck Series team and the #68 Nationwide Series car for Fleur-de-lis Motorsports. For 2011, he for Rick Ware Racing in the Nationwide Series.