Courtesy of Johanna Long PR

Firsts Continue for PM Trucks; Fresh Off a Solid Finish
Panhandle Motorsports continues to make “firsts” at NASCAR tracks – this time at Texas Motor Speedway for the Camping World Truck Series Winstar World Casino 350 (NCWTS) under the lights on Friday, November 5th.  It’s also the first race at the 1.5-mile oval in the NCWTS for driver Johanna Long.  The start will be her sixth NCWTS race this year, after three starts with Billy Ballew Motorsports where she logged two top 20 finishes – her best at ORP in July with 17th; and two starts with Panhandle Motorsports at Las Vegas & Martinsville, where she logged a solid lead-lap 22nd place finish for her first appearance in Virginia. In all five of her starts, Long has qualified in the top 20.
 
Logging the Miles, Logging the Miles, Logging the Miles
A Blizzard Series Champion in late models, Johanna looks to continue her Truck education at Texas with a veteran crew. After 21 starts in 2010 in different stock car Series, she’s logged five top-Fives and 10 top-10 finishes – giving her momentum for not only the last two races she’ll run in Trucks this year (Texas and Miami-Homestead), but also for the upcoming December Snowball Derby in Late Models.  “I’m glad to be racing so much this Fall, it has been busy but amazing to be able to learn as much as I have from so many different people,” said Johanna.  “The Speedways are our focus this year, so Texas is just a continuation of the learning experiences I’ve had at ORP, Nashville, Chicago and Las Vegas. We’re gaining momentum to go into the last race of the year, Miami-Homestead Speedway – and then to the Snowball Derby.  I’m just looking forward to some great racing and more learning, and also to bring it home with a solid finish.  We’re just working on moving forward into a really concrete 2011 and are working on sponsorships now.”
 
Tweet, Tweet, Tweet!
A longtime Twitter user, Johanna will be hosting her first “Fan Tweetup” at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday.  Held at the Texas Motor Speedway Fan Display in Turn 2 at the track at 11:30am CT, she’ll meet and greet with Twitter fans and talk shop.  She will also be signing autographs at the Toyota Pitpass Display with other NASCAR Toyota drivers at 3:00pm CT.
 
Scouting it Out Continues…and Making History
Johanna will be the guest speaker of the Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains on Thursday evening in the Samsung Mobile Infield Media Center at the Victory Theater.  She will be hosting a leadership badge discussion with the local Scouts; as well as talking  about inspiration, following a dream and hard work. They will be making history by hosting the most Girl Scouts ever at Texas Motor Speedway. “I’m a little nervous to talk to 150 Girl Scouts in one spot, but the Girl Scouts of Skyline Council in Martinsville were amazing to speak with,” said Johanna. “I’m sure that I’ll get to know these girls just the same.  I really like to hear what inspires them and drives them at such young ages. Many of them have never been to a NASCAR race before, not to mention in a media center – so I’ll have to give them the inside tour while they are here.”  The Girl Scouts will also take in the NCWTS qualifying from the media center – watching as Johanna makes her qualifying run on the track at 7pm.
 
A Cowboy in the Lone Star State – with Four Indians
Panhandle Motorsports is again enlisting the help of veteran crew chief Kevin ‘Cowboy’ Starland, who will be handling the truck chief duties for the No. 20 Panhandle Motorsports Toyota Tundra.  Starland, well-known as crew chief for the No.15 Billy Ballew Motorsports (BBM) truck, has the benefit of working with drivers such as Johnny Benson, Steven Wallace & Nelson Piquet, Jr.  He will also be joined in Texas by four new “honorary crew members” – Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains Council.  As part of the partnership with the Girl Scouts through the weekend, the girls will have a chance to learn the ins and outs of being part of a NASCAR crew.
 
Chassis Info:
No. 20 Panhandle Motorsports Toyota Tundra: Chassis No.01, built by Kyle Busch Motorsports & Triad Technologies.  Second track appearance by this chassis – the first being at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September.
 
Team:
Crew Chief: Kevin “Cowboy” Starland
Chassis: 01
Race: Friday, November 5th, 2010 at Texas Motor Speedway
Length: 147 laps/220.5 miles
Track Layout: 1.5-mile oval
 
SCHEDULE:
TV: SPEED TV Prerace 7:30pm, Race 8pm CST; Radio: MRN Broadcast, Sirius NASCAR 128; Local Radio: 105.3 The FAN KRLD-FM