Long tracks or short tracks, preference?

I suppose it all depends on what you decide is a "long track".
Are you using seven minutes as your benchmark?
I have noticed that when Joe plays live, most of his studio songs are extended into longer versions.

Lester

I like good songs, regardless whether they're long or short.    IMHO long tracks work great in the context of an album with a variety of tunes.  I don't know that I'd want to listen to 10 10-minute songs in a row.  That said, I still vote long - there's just something about those epic tracks with a lot going on that really grabs me.

Just a few off the top of my head
Machine Gun - probably the best ever
1983 ... A Merman I Should Turn To Be
Voodoo Chile
Memory of Elizabeth Reed
Whipping Post
...And Justice For All

Maybe, but I'm not talking "Slight Return" - I'm talking the Voodoo Chile w/ Jack Cassady and Steve Winwood.

My favorite long song is UFO's Love to Love. The build at the end... OMG! Not all that long at 7:40 but long enough.

I devoured Layla in its entirety for a long time but in recent years I find myself sometimes skipping over the instrumental.

Both long songs and short ones can be great.
I can't say I could just pick one over the other.
But I'd love long songs when they are good.
Some favs that come to mind.
1)Machine Gun Hendrix
2)Dazed and Confuzed Led Zep
3)Can You Here Me Knocking Eolling Stones
4)In My Time of Dying Led Zep
5)Green Grass and High Tides Forever the Outlaws
6) Kern Evil  9 ELP
I would be temped to put Free Bird in Here if weren't for such overpayment and it's almost become a joke.But I remember when it first came out it was such a great song.

Well...I suppose this is a big cop out, but I like both for different reasons...The longer tracks have some of Joe's best extended solos like Pain and Sorrow, Sloe Gin, Reconsider Baby, etc...I don't think Joe is "self indulgent"...I'm hoping it's the fact that he knows the reason people go to see him is not for his singing or songwriting, it's to see him be "self indulgent" on guitar, not that he is a bad singer or songwriter...He's great, but all of you out there raise your hand when I ask if you go to see him play wicked amazing guitar...I bet there's about 90% of you with your hands up ! His short tracks are great because they tend to be more upbeat like "Who's been Talkin?", Mosquito's Tweeter, etc...I love Joe's Rock side and that encompasses most of his shorter tunes. Self Indugent...ha ha...every time I see Joe, I tell him to keep making those solos even longer !!

My favorite "long tracks ever would be "Dazed and Confused" from Zep "Do You Fell Like I Do?" from Frampton and , of course Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold"

Indagadadavida (spell check ....but for me it will always be "Green Grass and High tides", The Outlaws

Thought about this for awhile. I love long songs. I love the tempo changes, the extended solos, etc. Here are some of my favorite non-Joe Bonamassa long songs (in no particular order):

Echos, Dogs, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, parts 1-6, Welcome to the Machine by Pink Floyd
Supper's Ready by Genesis
Dazed and Confused, Achilles Last Stand, In My Time of Dying by Zep
Free Bird (Do I even need to say who does this song?)
2112, Cygnus X I and II, By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Xanadu, La Villa Strangiato by Rush
Yours is no Disgrace, Starship Trooper by Yes
Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Iron Maiden 
Machine Gun by Jimi
Child in Time by Deep Purple
Cottonfields and Crossroads by the Los Lonely Boys
Tin Pan Alley, Texas Flood, The Sky is Crying, Voodoo Child (Slight Return) by SRV
War Pigs, Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots by Sabbath
Magnum Opus by Kansus
Master of Puppets by Metallica
Wedding Nails by Porcupine Tree
Too Rolling Stoned by Robin Trower