Darren Long named Student Athlete of the Month

Darren and his sister, Tessa Long, were honored to be named Athletes of the Month in July 2020.

Name: Darren Long
Age: 13 years old
School: Duxbury Middle School, seventh grade
Sport/Activity: Driver of the American Anchor number-9 DRT high-performance Go-Kart, and rookie driver for Paul Scally Motorsports NEMA Lite number 30. Also plays football, basketball, and baseball.

How long have you participated in this sport/activity?
Six years in karting; usually drive 800–900 miles per season. 2020 will be the first year racing in a NEMA Lite car.

Who do you idolize in this sport/activity?
Kyle Busch, number 18

Where do you normally practice?
X-1 Outdoors in Bridgewater

Are you on a team?
Yes, I drive for the DRT Karting Team out of Nashua, with Lane & Di Racing Kart seats and SFL LAD Specialties tuned 60cc Mini Swift engines. I will also be driving for Paul Scally #30 in NEMA Lite with a Honda Quad-Four cylinder 850cc motor.

Have you met anyone famous in this sport/activity?
I met and interviewed "Mr. Indy" Janik Artus.

Have you traveled anywhere related to this sport/activity?
Yes, I do visit racetracks yearly; Florida, PA, and dirt tracks in northern Louisiana, but race in the Northeast primarily in Maine, NH, and all throughout New England.

What events have you participated in?
Karts: In between large Grand Prix races, we race a "Club Level" race at NHKA, OVRP, X-1 Club Series, and also race at the Gearup F-Series and this year the U.S. Pro Kart Series (USPKS).

NEMA: This year I'm lucky enough to race the NEMA car at Star Speedway in Epping, NH, and Waterford Speedway in Waterford, CT.

What awards or honors have you won?
X-1 Club Champion 2017, first place OVRP Summer Race 2018, third place F-Series Boston 2018, third place Race Complex Ogdensburg NY season finale F-Series 2019, Race social 2019, second place F-Series New Jersey Motorsport Park 2019.

What have you learned from participating in this sport/activity?
Learning about the business side of racing and navigating it is very educational. Also learning the importance of good communication and leadership. It also teaches you about managing risk and taking calculated chances.

What do you like most about the sport/activity?
The racing.

What is your favorite moment?
Finishing second at a Pitt International last August and testing a NEMA Lite car this past fall.

What do you plan on doing after graduating?
Go to college and hopefully someday race in the ARCA Series.

What is one tip for someone looking to get into this sport/activity?
Go fast!

Find the photo on Peter Long's instagram page. 

See Tessa's interview on her High School Sports Elite Page.