Rugby star on fast track to success
Loosehead props aren’t normally known for their speed but Jason Long is no ordinary sportsman. The Hawke’s Bay Magpies representative has defended New Zealand Rugby’s most prized possession – the Ranfurly Shield – and now holds what is arguably the most sought-after trophy in New Zealand speedway.
At just 26 Long, who made his debut for the Magpies in 2014, fended off 84 rivals to speed his way to New Zealand Superstock Championship glory at Woodford Glen Speedway, north of Christchurch, on Saturday.
The Ranfurly Shield and Superstock Championship double has never been accomplished before.
Long compared his national title to the same surreal feeling as Hawke’s Bay’s Ranfurly Shield tenure that lasted for 11 defences in 2014-15.
‘‘At the time you know it’s special but you probably don’t appreciate just how special.
‘‘It’s going to take a long time to truly sink in, it might be 20 years before I truly realise just how special it actually is,’’ Long told Stuff of his superstock championship victory.
Long’s father, decorated Hawke’s Bay superstock driver Murray Long, got close a couple of times in his successful career that lasted more than three decades. He was third in the national championships in the 2009-10 season.
‘‘We’ve been chasing this title for a long time,’’ Long said of what he considers a family achievement rather than his own.
Long, who ‘‘didn’t really have a choice’’ about getting into the sport after growing up around speedway, said Saturday’s win was made much more special by his father and mother (Fiona) being by his side.
Long, who also won the 2015 ITM Championship with the Magpies, is no stranger to success in superstock racing.
He has been a revelation since jumping in his father’s car around five years ago. Now racing a new Peter Rees-built machine, Long is the current North Island champion and is a former New Zealand Grand Prix
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.