On fast track to success
winner. He finished second behind Nelson’s Shane Harwood in the New Zealand Championship in 2016 and won the Superstock Teams Championship with the Hawke’s Bay Hawkeyes in the same year.
Long idolised many of the drivers who won the national superstock championship when he was a child and that has made it hard to see himself as the champion.
‘‘I never thought it would happen to me. To be one of them is still pretty unbelievable, it’s hard to see yourself in that group of people.’’
Long, who has just re-signed with the Magpies for another two seasons, would love the chance to play Super Rugby but does not get hung up about it. His focus is to play to the best of his ability for Hawke’s Bay and if he is good enough, higher honours will take care of themselves.
As for his speedway career, Long can see that lasting for many more years but he is prepared to put it on the backburner if required.
‘‘It might be 20 years before I truly realise just how special it actually is.’’
Jason Long on his unique sporting double
‘‘At the end of the day speedway is just a hobby. We love doing it, but if there’s any point where I have to stop because of my rugby I guess I’ll have to because I can race speedway for as long as I want whereas with rugby I can only do it for a certain amount of time.’’
Long, who is used to dishing out the big hits on the rugby field, doesn’t mind the biff on the track either. He has represented the Hawkeyes and the Gisborne Gladiators in the brutal arena of teams racing and hopes to represent the Hawkeyes again in February at the Superstock Teams Championship in Palmerston North.