Lake Erie Speedway - 7/9/05 - 15th
PIT PROBLEMS COST MACDONALD GOOD FINISH AT LAKE ERIE

By Dick Casey---Triple Crown Racing

After another solid qualifying performance at Lake Erie Speedway, Eddie MacDonald felt a top five finish was possible until a problem in the pits at the halfway mark put the One Stop Toy Shop Chevy a lap down. From there things just got worse when he got spun around ten laps later to then go two laps down.

“We had another great qualifying run and we tied for third place but started fourth on the grid due to some sort of tie breaker. We have been good so far with top ten runs except for Stafford and that was only because they (BNS officials) took away one of our qualifying laps. We know that starting up front puts us in good position for strong finishes, especially at a place like this (Lake Erie),” said MacDonald after his run.

However, a frustrated MacDonald said after the race, “We qualified great again and starting fourth put us in pretty good position but the back end started sliding out from under me causing the car to slide up the track. It allowed a few cars to pass us but we just rode around looking for an opportunity to pit to get back to the front. As it turned out we should have just stayed out there.”

MacDonald brought the car to the pits on lap 75 and the Triple Crown Racing team tightened it up but on the way out from his pit box another car slowed in front of him. “I had to stop my car and then drive around the slower car and just those few seconds didn’t give us the opportunity to get out in front of the leaders and we went a lap down,” said the disappointed MacDonald. “The car was a little better and I felt we definitely had a chance to move back up through the field if we caught a break.”

As is usually the case, when something bad happens, more trouble is awaiting and that is exactly what happened to the Rowley, Mass. driver, now in his fifth year in the Grand National Busch North Series, about ten laps later. “We were just trying to stay in position and hope for a break when a car slid up the track and spun me out and that cost us another lap. At that point, I was just trying to finish the race without tearing up the car so we can have something for Loudon next week.”

“Sometimes things happen out there that are beyond your control and that is just racing but I feel bad for the team because we have been good qualifying and finishing in the top ten so far this season, so we know our fifteenth place finish here was just some bad luck not of our doing. We will regroup and get ready for Loudon and hope to qualify up front and have a decent finish,” stated MacDonald.

Local Dodge Dealers 150 Results

Results for the 07/09/2005 Local Dodge Dealers 150 Presented by Burnham
Hydronics from Lake Erie Speedway:

F S # Driver, Car, Laps Completed, Money Won, Reason Out
==================================================================
1 1 74 Ryan Moore, R.C. Moore/Bill Dodge Chev, 150, $8,893
2 3 55 Mike Stefanik, Burnham Hydronics Chev, 150, $4,893
3 2 40 Matt Kobyluck, Mohegan Sun Chev, 150, $3,893
4 8 96 Mike Johnson, Johnson Lumber Ford, 150, $3,543
5 7 29 Dave Dion, Berlin City Ford Ford, 150, $2,938
6 11 45 Brian Hoar, Goss Dodge Dodge, 150, $2,443
7 9 61 Mike Olsen, Little Trees Chev, 150, $2,243
8 12 5 Sean Caisse, Trik Custom Sleds Chev, 150, $1,250
9 5 44 Andy Santerre, Castle Chemical Chev, 149, $2,693
10 18 16 Kip Stockwell, Sabil & Sons Chev, 149, $2,943
11 13 06 Ryan Seaman, Erbe Carting Chev, 149, $1,868
12 14 15 Dale Shaw, Waste Mangaement Chev, 149, $1,250
13 10 99 Bryon Chew, Buzz Chew Auto Group Chev, 149, $1,818
14 19 21 Rogelio Lopez, TelMex Chev, 148, $900
15 4 77 Eddie MacDonald, One Stop Toy Shop Chev, 148, $1,768
16 6 8 Joey McCarthy, TechAir Chev, 148, $1,743
17 23 63 John Salemi, DelCorp Co. Pontiac, 148, $825
18 20 30 Jeff Anton, Whelen Chev, 148, $795
19 17 26 Scott Bouley, Lee Custom Cycle Chev, 147, $1,643
20 24 09 Joe Masessa, North Jersey Dermatology Center Chev, 146, $750
21 21 11 Rob Humphreys, Humphreys Racing Chev, 140, $750
22 22 97 Chappy Knaack, Hillside Nursery Chev, 105, Engine, $750
23 16 03 Rocky Moran Jr, King Taco Chev, 77, Handling, $750
24 15 01 Charles Lewandoski, Lewandoski Construction Chev, 40, Engine, $750

TIME OF RACE: 51 minutes, 0 seconds

Media Contact: Jennifer MacDonald - jennymac29@hotmail.com