Race 3 - Lime Rock Park - 5/29/04

Busch North 200K

Broken Axle Causes Eddie MacDonald Top Ten Finish

by Dick Casey - HRM Motorsports

Eddie MacDonald felt he had a top ten finish in his sights until a broken axle on a lap 64 restart derailed his plans in the Busch North 200k at Lime Rock Park. The HRM Motororsports Ford started seventh on the grid based on last year’s owner’s points after Friday’s qualifying was rained out.

The weekend did not start out well for the team in practice when Eddie got into the grass causing the car to spin then was hit head on by Bobby Dragon’s car. The nose of the car suffered extensive damage but the crew under Chris Raymond’s direction did its usual great job to get it repaired. Eddie said," I felt terrible for the crew but they did a fantastic job. These guys are incredible."

As a result of the crash, practice time was severely limited so the team did not know what to expect for the race. Eddie was confident saying," We knew we had a good car and with our starting position, we just wanted to get out there, stay out of trouble, and see what we had." He was pleased with the results.

" The car handled really well and we were just out there driving around. We didn’t need to make any changes and I just wanted to set us up for a top ten finish but it wasn’t to be," said a disappointed MacDonald.

The # 17 Ford ran most of the race in the top ten and was in eighth place readying for a lap 64 restart when Eddie knew he had a major problem saying," Right before the restart the car was slipping a little and when I hit the gas one tire would spin and the other one wouldn’t. With all that horsepower there was no way one tire could take it."

At that point he just tried to get the car to his pit for repairs. Eddie was pleased with the crew’s effort to get him back out saying," The guys did great work replacing the axle but we were seven laps down when I got back out there."

Eddie expressed the sentiments of the team with its twenty-fourth place finish saying," We didn’t need that finish and we will have to do better at every other race to make up for this one."

Although the finish was disappointing, the HRM Motorsports team is eighth in the point’s race. Look for the team to rebound in two weeks at Seekonk Speedway, a track that ranks as one of Eddie’s favorites.

Summing up his day Eddie said," We had a good car, this is unfortunate and frustrating but we will put it behind us and get ready for Seekonk.

Busch North 200K

NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, BUSCH NORTH SERIES

Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Conn. – Saturday, May 29, 2004

UNOFFICIAL FINISH (finishing position, starting position, driver, hometown,  manufacturer, laps completed, reason out if any, money won)

1.    (19)  Brad Leighton, Center Harbor, N.H., Ford, 82, $11,925
2.    (6)    Dale Quarterley, Westfield, Mass., Chevrolet, 82, $6,325
3.    (8)    Mike Olsen, North Haverhill, N.H., Chevrolet, 82, $5,525
4.    (18)  Bill Penfold, Yarmouth, Me., Chevrolet, 82, $4,325
5.    (3)    Mike Johnson, Salisbury, Mass., Ford, 82, $3,525
6.    (1)    Andy Santerre, Cherryfield, Me., Chevrolet, 82, $3,625
7.    (26)  Brad Bennett, Stamford, Conn., Ford, 82, $2,000
8.    (11)  Bryon Chew, Mattituck, N.Y., Chevrolet, 82, $2,325
9.    (5)    Kelly Moore, Scarborough, Me.,  Chevrolet, 82, $2,575
10.    (30)  Jeremy Treadway, Ticonderoga, N.Y., Pontiac, 82, $1,500
11.    (32)  Jack Lewis, Norcross, Ga., Ford, 82, $2,450
12.    (14)  Jamie Aube, Manchester, N.H., Chevrolet, 82, $1,425
13.    (10)  Ryan Moore, Scarborough, Me., Chevrolet, 82, $2,000
14.    (4)    Brian Hoar, Williston, Vt., Chevrolet, 81, $1,975
15.    (22)  Scott Bouley, Thomaston, Conn., Chevrolet, 81, $1,275
16.    (25)  Doug Krpata, Bethpage, N.Y., Chevrolet, 81, $1,250
17.    (27)  Mike Speakman, Pylesville, Md., Chevrolet, 81, $1,225
18.    (13)  Kip Stockwell, Braintree, Vt., Pontiac, 81, $1,825
19.    (28)  George Whelen, Old Saybrook ,Conn., Ford, 81, $1,175
20.    (15)  Barney McRae, Colchester, Vt., Pontiac, 81, $1,775
21.    (20)  Joey McCarthy, Randolph, N.J., Chevrolet, 79, $1,750
22.    (12)  Dave Dion, Hudson, N.H., Ford, 79, $1,725
23.    (29)  John Murphy, Canaan, Conn., Pontiac, 77, $1,075
24. (7) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass., Ford, 75, $1,675
25.    (16)  Bobby Dragon, Milton, Vt., Chevrolet, 73, $1,650
26.    (21)  Anthony Demonte, Commack, N.Y., Chevrolet, 73, $1,000
27.    (2)    Mike Stefanik, Coventry, R.I., Chevrolet, 70, $1,625
28.    (9)    Matt Kobyluck, Uncasville, Conn., 58, axle, $1,625
29.    (17)  John Cerbone, City Island, N.Y., Chevrolet, 56, transmission, $1,625
30.    (31)  Tim Andrews, Concord, N.C., Chevrolet, 49, accident, $1,625
31.    (33)  Bryan Wall, Plaistow, N.H., Ford, 31, $1,000
32.    (24)  Rick Bell, Salisbury, Conn., Pontiac, 21, axle, $1,000
33.    (23)  Ryan Seaman, Toms River, N.J., Chevrolet, 17, accident, $1,000

TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 48 minutes, 17 seconds   
        
AVERAGE SPEED: 69.304 mph

MARGIN OF VICTORY: 1.514 seconds

CAUTION PERIODS: 7 for 33 laps (19-24, 32-37, 43-47, 54-57, 60-64, 71-74, 77-79)

LEAD CHANGES: 3 among 4 drivers (Stefanik 1-41, Olsen 42-57, Quarterley 58-79, Leighton 80-82)

BUSCH POLE AWARD: None awarded, qualifying cancelled due to inclement weather

POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE: Jack Lewis, Lewis Racing Ford

FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Kelly Moore, NAPA/Bill Dodge Chevrolet
 
 

Media Contact: Jennifer MacDonald - jennymac29@hotmail.com