      |
|
 |
|
2010 Race Stories and Photos
January to July 18th |
 |
TD BANK
250
Oxford
Plains Speedway
Oxford, ME -
Sunday, July 18th
|
| |
 |
|
TWO TD
BANK 250’S IN A ROW FOR EDDIE! |
|
|
| |
“We have to get there first,”
responded crew chief Rollie LaChance before practice even began on
Saturday when asked if he and Eddie could make it two wins in a row
at the Oxford Plains Speedway spectacular known as the TD Bank 250.
Get there they did to etch their names into the record books as only
one of four who have ever gone back to back. Only Geoff Bodine, Mike
Rowe and Ralph Nason have been able to accomplish the feat and with
three in a row for Nason so now the “Outlaw” has something to shoot
for next year.
Eddie started ninth after finishing second in
the third of six heats that saw 79 cars try to qualify for the 39
starting positions. The field was so strong that Cup regular Brad
Keselowski had to receive a promoter’s provisional to even make the
race while Jeffrey Earnhardt was not able to make the starting grid.
Oxford Plains was at its best affording a lot of three wide racing
in the heats and the feature. Only five cars finished on the lead
lap but it was the lapped cars that played an important role in the
outcome. There were still a strong field running near the end and it
was difficult for the leaders to move through the pack of bunched up
racecars.
Pole winner and ACT point’s leader Brian Hoar
showed great speed in practice and qualifying but it was veteran
racer Brad Leighton who took command early on lap 14 and maintained
a solid lead for 189 laps until a right front tire exploded. Instead
of going to the pits the cagey driver raced into turn one and spun
through the dirt to bring out a caution flag allowing him to stay on
the lead lap when the green flag waved again on lap 203. The move
paid off at the end of the race with a hard charge back through the
field to finish fifth and the last car on the lead lap. It was
Leighton however that made short work of the competition from six on
back as he put everyone a lap down before the halfway flag. The
lapped cars made it difficult for the leaders to get through since
many were racing two and sometimes three wide and were not about to
make it easy for the leaders to pass.
A caution on lap 140
brought all the cars to the pits as Leighton and Hoar returned to
the track in the first two positions. When Eddie returned after
making adjustments and taking on four tires, the New England
Mechanical Overlay/Grimm Construction Pontiac was behind the lapped
cars of Patrick Laperle, Nick Sweet, and Don Wentworth as these
three cars hounded the top three cars over the final 100 laps.
Leighton, Hoar, and MacDonald had to contend with the slower lapped
cars but the three mentioned above gave the leaders everything they
could handle. At one point Eddie passed Hoar for second place but he
was also passed by two of the lapped cars. It was very strange
indeed. |
| |
|
|
| |
Eddie and Hoar continued to swap
second place position as Leighton had a comfortable lead but the man
on the move was Oxford regular Corey Morgan. After getting a lap
back on the lap 142-caution, Morgan just flew through the field and
was running in third while gaining on the #17. Hoar’s gamble to take
two tires on the lap 140 caution did not turn out as planned as he
lost positions to Brent Dragon and Martin and was running fifth
before making a charge at the end to finish second.
Leighton
was in control and appeared ready for the huge win when he cut down
a right front tire on lap 203 giving the lead to MacDonald who was
pacing himself behind the leader and the lapped cars. Eddie said
afterwards, “Brad was racing the lapped cars hard and I thought he
might be using up his stuff so I just stayed back saving mine and
unfortunately for him and good for us that is what happened. He
definitely had the fastest car out there but we will take the win.”
For the final 47 laps Eddie was untouchable as he opened up a
half track lead on his nearest competition saying, “The car was on a
rail the last 50 laps. We were a little tight all day but as the
fuel burned off the car became neutral and really came to me. It
handled fantastic and I have to give credit to Rollie and the crew.
They changed just about everything over the two days and that was
real difficult in this heat. I can’t thank them enough for all the
hard work. What can I say about Rollie other than he’s great. We
have a lot of fun with this racecar and he just loves winning here
at Oxford. We had already won two ACT races here this season so
Rollie definitely knows what he is doing.”
Rollie said of the
win, “I always wanted to win one of these ever since I have been a
crew chief and we did that last year. This win is just a bonus and I
am very happy to take it. I was real happy with the car even in the
heat. We finished second in that and I knew Eddie had something for
the heat winner, Dave Pembroke, if he wanted to push it. I knew we
had a fast car for the 250. This is really a sweet win for us.” |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
MacDonald and His Unbeatable Underdogs Win Another Oxford 250
It's Another One for the History Books,Just Don't Expect a Loud
Celebration
Speed51 - By Mike Twist
Quarter Master's Clutch Performance of the Week
Who
Came Through in The Clutch This Time?
As Decided by the Staff of Speed51.com
Eddie returned to the TD Bank 250 as the defending champion.
Follow the lap by lap action at:
|
|
www.speed51.com |
| |
|
 |
The K&N 100
Saturday, July 3rd |
|
SEVENTH PLACE
FINISH FOR MACDONALD AT LIME ROCK PARK |
Eddie MacDonald matched his two best
finishes in the K&N Pro Series East this season with a seventh place
run in the Grimm Construction Chevy in the K&N 100. After starting
13th on the grid for the 66 lap event over the road course at Lime
Rock, MacDonald moved steadily ahead to post his fourth top ten
finish.
“We always qualify 13th,”
joked MacDonald. “It doesn’t seem to matter what we do, we qualify
13th, so we know where we will start and go from there. The car was
really good during the race and we were able to drive it into the
top ten quickly and stay there. It got a little tight in the turns
but it was okay. We were a little too aggressive with the brakes
when we set the car up in the shop and I kept locking them up in the
turns. Eventually it ended up costing a couple of spots at the end
but over5all we had a good day.”
MacDonald posted a
fantastic second place run last year despite losing second and third
gear for much of the race and expected the car to be even better
this race but the brake issue proved too much to overcome. “Rollie
and the crew spent a lot of time getting the car just right and I
know we would have had a much better finish but the brakes were just
too aggressive. I feel bad for the guys because of all the hard work
they put into it, but it is just one of those things.”
When the green flag waved, MacDonald
gained five positions by lap seven before pitting for gas. “Our
strategy was to come in early and then recycle our way back to the
front when all the leaders came in to pit. At the halfway flag we
were running in 12th and looking to gain more positions.
Unfortunately the brake issue really prevented us from getting into
the top three. We were able to get to the top five and I hoped we
could finish there,’ said the Rowley, Mass. veteran.
With only three cautions for eight
laps, the field quickly strung out as the laps started to wind down.
MacDonald ran in fifth place until Truex made the pass on lap 53 to
drop back to sixth where he ran until Wallace got by with only six
laps remaining with MacDonald saying, “I really hated losing those
two positions at the end but the brakes were really locking up so it
gave those guys the opportunity to get past me. We had plenty of
speed and were able to pull away so it was frustrating for us at the
end. We had a much better car than where we finished.”
With the seventh place
finish, MacDonald gained three positions to move into the ninth spot
in the point race. The team is hoping
to gain
more positions when the green flag waves again for the K&N Pro East
Series at its home track, Lee USA Speedway
on July
30.
Speed Channel will broadcast
the Lime Rock Park race on Thursday, July 8. |
|
|
|
 |
The New England 125
Friday, June 25th |
 |
| MACDONALD REBOUNDS for
10th PLACE RUN at NHMS |
|
Eddie MacDonald came from 21st
on the starting grid in the K&N Pro Series East New Hampshire 125 at
NHMS to post a solid tenth place finish. The New England Mechanical
Overlay sponsored Chevy did not have the typical qualifying run
MacDonald and the Grimm Construction Racing Team has come to expect
but the Rowley, Mass. veteran knew he had a fast car.
“We will be just fine for the race,
“said MacDonald after the run. “The car is fast but the nose just
wouldn’t drop down but I know it will be good. We know how to get
around this place and we will be ready to make any adjustments if
necessary. We just have to be careful to avoid anything that happens
but we are not going to be patient and sit back. We are going to
go.”
MacDonald wasted little time charging
to the front and by lap five the #71 was in the 13th
position and took the ninth spot just as the caution flag on lap 17
waved putting him back in 11th.
MacDonald picked up two positions on the restart but could not get
around the #35 that was blocking all over the track and remained
there until pitting on lap 83 for tires and fuel. Restarting
in 12th, MacDonald
moved into seventh on lap 103 and briefly held the sixth position as
the caution flag waved again on lap 107.
“I had a good run going with only
about 15 laps to go but we ended up three wide in turn four and I
was down on the bottom of the track and there isn’t any grip down
there. I thought I was definitely going around on that one but I got
it straightened out but I lost three positions. Again we were three
wide with about six laps to go and I just slid up the track losing
the three spots I had gained back. I was just trying too hard to
make something happen but there were not enough laps left to make up
the lost positions this time. We definitely had a better car than 10th
but we will take it and go to Lime Rock next week. Last year we
finished second so I am hoping we can repeat that performance.”
The K&N Pro Series East and the Whelen
Modified Tour will both be in action on the road course of Lime Rock
Park. Practice and Qualifying will take place on Friday with both
races on Saturday, July 3.
|
10th Place Finish
for Eddie - Results Page HERE
.
Eddie qualifies in
21st on Thursday - Starting Grid HERE |
|
|
| |
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS
HOME
SWEET HOME FOR EDDIE MACDONALD |
Eddie MacDonald has enjoyed great
success at the “Magic Mile” with three victories in the last four
K&N Pro Series East races and hopes the streak continues in the New
England 125 on Friday, June 25. The Grimm Construction Chevy started
on the pole and on the outside of the first row during that stretch.
“We love racing at Loudon and have had super runs there,”
said MacDonald from his Newbury, Mass. shop. I always felt we could
win there and now that we have, we want to keep it going. This is
our “home” track so the team wants to do well in front of our fans.
We travel so much now, it is really a lot of fun to see and be with
all the people who have supported us through the years.”
The
veteran driver from Rowley, Mass. knows it will be no small task to
repeat but is confident another trip to victory lane is possible
saying, “The level of competition in our series is really tough but
we know we have the car to be competitive for the win. Rollie has
this place figured out with the set-up so we just have to qualify up
front, stay out of trouble, and we will be there at the end. The
crew is excited to race at NHMS and they have been working really
hard getting everything ready.”
MacDonald expects positive
things this week after some disappointing runs,” We need to turn
things around especially after our run at Martinsville that knocked
us to twelfth in the points. We hope to dig ourselves out of the
hole we are in and this is just the place to do it. We know we can
win after getting three out of four there, but we will have to be on
top of our game. Hopefully the car will be as fast as it was at
Martinsville. It was flying before the flat tire and the broken sway
bar. Things have been a little frustrating so far but a good, solid
finish at Loudon will certainly help.“
A long time sponsor
will be back on the hood with MacDonald saying, “I am glad to have
NEMO- New England Mechanical Overlay from Pembroke, N.H., back as
our primary sponsor this weekend. Owners Ron and Becky Bennett have
been great supporters of ours for a long time now. NEMO was on the
car for our NHMS wins, as well as our ACT Invitational win there
last year, and we are happy to have them with us again. Our team has
a lot of people to thank from team owner Rob Grimm to all our other
sponsors including: A&B Vending, HMS Motorsports, Waymart Building
Center, R.B. Fries of Waymart, and Hanover Place. We also have the
great support of Racing with Jesus. We could not do any of this
without the support of these people and we would like to thank them
with a win.”
The New England 125 will take the green flag on
Friday, June 25 at 5:00pm. Practice and qualifying are scheduled for
Thursday.
NASCAR HOME TRACKS NEW ENGLAND 125 PAGE HERE |
|
 |
 |
The UNOH Performance 200
Sunday, June 6th |
|
|
TIRE ISSUES RUIN MACDONALD’S DAY |
Eddie MacDonald qualified sixth in the
UNOH 200 at Martinsville Speedway in the K&N Pro Series East race
and rode to second place before blowing a right front tire. The
front end damage forced the University of Northwestern Ohio
sponsored ride to the pits for multiple adjustments resulting in a
27th place finish in the rain-shortened event.
“We were really fast and I was just riding in second place trying
to save my brakes for the end of the race,” said MacDonald after the
race. “I feel bad for the UNOH sponsors that we did not have a
better finish. Steve Farmer and President Jeff Jarvis treated us
great all weekend and especially during our visit to the college a
couple of weeks ago. We had four of the students working on our pit
crew so the only good thing that probably came out of this was they
got to see what happens when everything goes wrong.”
The Grimm Construction Chevy had a great qualifying run then
started in fourth place when two cars in front were sent to the rear
for unapproved changes. As soon as the green flag waved, MacDonald
moved past the #4 car and into third place behind Ryan Gifford and
Brett Moffitt. The top three cars were able to pull away from the
rest of the field. A lap 32 caution flag bunched up the pack and on
the restart Eddie made a power move to the inside past Moffitt for
second place. After riding the Gifford’s bumper for a few laps,
Macdonald settled into a steady pace behind the leader.
Crew chief Rollie LaChance warned MacDonald
that a number of cars were experiencing right front tire trouble and
to be aware. LaChance also readied the crew for any tire problems
that may arise. As if prophetic, the tire blew on lap 56 and causing
sway bar damage. After returning to the track four laps down, the
car suffered a rear tire failure forcing the #71 to the pits again.
The crew worked to repair the damage to get MacDonald back on the
track but was only able to complete 121 of the 175 laps before rain
ended the event.
“We were running so good
it is just a shame that this had to happen. It was a lot of fun to
race at Martinsville and I hope we get another shot at this place.
We were hoping for a better show for our sponsor UNOH but that’s
just racing sometimes. We will be ready for Loudon in a couple of
weeks,” said the disappointed driver. |
The UNOH
Performance
200 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Photos by Richard Casey |
|
-
Eddie Qualified the UNOH/Grimm
Construction Chevrolet in 6th.
- Race
Finish of 27th after two right side flats and a brush with
the wall while running in 2nd place on lap 56. Eddie completed 121
of 175 laps before the
race was cut short by rain. |
|
NASCAR HOME
TRACKS - Statistical Advance:
Analyzing
The UNOH Performance 200 at Martinsville Speedway |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The fourth race of the 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro
Series East season will take place at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on
Sunday, June 6 with the UNOH Performance 200.
Martinsville
Speedway Data
Race: Race #4 of 10
Track Layout: .526-mile
oval
Banking: 12 degrees in the turns
Race Length: 200
laps/105.2 miles
At Martinsville Speedway:
•
Martinsville Speedway opened in 1947.
• There have been 123
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, 34 NASCAR Nationwide Series, 23 NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series, 34 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and five
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races at Martinsville.
•
This will be the inaugural stand-alone race for the NASCAR K&N Pro
Series East at Martinsville.
• The NKNPS East featured drivers
that competed for their own series points in combination with the
NNS in 1989 and 1990 at Martinsville.
READ MORE |
|
|
UNOH ON THE #71
Eddie MacDonald
will be wheeling the #71 UNOH, NASCAR K & N Pro Series Chevrolet in
the Inaugural “UNOH Performance 200” at Martinsville on June 6th.
While new to the UNOH motorsports family, MacDonald is not a
stranger to success on the race track. He finished the 2009 Camping
World Series East campaign in 2nd place just 34 points behind
Champion Ryan Truex.
Todd Szegedy will be competing in the
“UNOH Perfect Storm 150” at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 18th of
this year as well as at Martinsville Speedway on June 6th in the
“Whelen All American 150”. Szegedy is no stranger to UNOH. The 2003
NASCAR Whelen Modified National Champion piloted the #2 UNOH
modified last year at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and at Bristol
Motor Speedway for the inaugural “UNOH Perfect Storm 150”.
Eight UNOH Motorsports Team members, Kody Weisner, Ben Bowers, Cody
Bland, Andy Mattord, Chris Puskas, Brandon Ziehl, Kevin Bradshaw and
Sam Thomas, will be participating on the pit crews for both of these
race teams in the NASCAR K & N Pro Series and Whelen Modified Series
events.
The
University of Northwestern Ohio -
Motorsports College Web
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Goodyear Dealers of Iowa 200
NASCAR K&N Pro Series
East/West Challenge |
 |
|
TOP TEN FINISH for MACDONALD at
IOWA SPEEDWAY |
Eddie
MacDonald posted a seventh place finish in the Goodyear Dealers of
Iowa 200 at Iowa Speedway in the K&N Pro Series third race of the
season. The Grimm Construction Chevy qualified fourth after scoring
one of only five sub 24 second laps around the .875 mile oval.
Forty-nine cars attempted to qualify for 44-car starting grid in the
combination event pitting the East versus the West series’ drivers.
MacDonald’s has crashed out of the two previous races at the track
so this finish is well received.
“We
have struggled here in the past to finish so we are very pleased
with the results,” said MacDonald after the race. “Both times we
came here the car was fast but something always seemed to happen to
ruin our day. Today the car was fast again and we put down a great
qualifying lap and we were able to have a good finish. Obviously we
would have liked to get to the top five but the car was real tight
at the end. I thought I could get a couple of more positions but
with the tight car it took me a lot of laps to pass a car. It is our
best run here so we’ll take it.”
After
running in the middle of the pack during Saturday’s and Sunday
morning’s practice session crew chief Rollie LaChance tweaked the
set up for qualifying and the adjustments paid off with the fourth
place spot on the starting grid. MacDonald lap time of 23.946 was
nearly a one second improvement of the best practice time. “The car
really felt great and I was able to drive it in deep in the corners
and hug the bottom. As I said, we’ve had fast cars here before but
this time it was super fast. We wanted to start up front and that
happened so it set up a good day for us. Not as good as it could
have been but it was good.”
When
the green flag waved, MacDonald ran comfortably in the top six until
the first pit stop when the caution flag flew on lap 75. After
taking on gas and left side tires the #71 returned to the track in
the tenth spot but quickly got shuffled back to 15th when the #39
car did not get up to speed on the restart causing the cars in the
outside lane to lose a number of spots. “Yes, that restart hurt us
because we got shuffled back so far it took a lot of time and using
up the car to get the spots back. We knew we had another pit stop so
we just wanted to be in a good position after our stop.”
A
caution on lap 129 saw all the leaders pit and the Grimm Chevy took
on gas, right side tires and a wedge adjustment. With 60 laps to go
MacDonald rode in thirteenth and in tenth by lap 160. With the laps
winding down and the leaders stretched out on the track MacDonald
gained the final two positions to seventh before the GWC finish.
Only one West car finished ahead of MacDonald but the team moved
from tenth in the points and into eighth.
The K&N Pro Series East next race
will be at Martinsville Speedway on June 6. |
|
Eddie
Finishes 7th in Iowa -
Results Here |
|
|
|
MACDONALD LOOKS FOR SOLID RUN IN IOWA |
Eddie MacDonald
expects a better result as the Grimm Racing Team prepares for their
third visit to Iowa Speedway in the K&N Pro Series East/West race.
The Goodyear Dealers of Iowa 200 will pit drivers from the East and
West series for 200 laps around the .875 mile oval designed by Rusty
Wallace on Sunday, May 23.
MacDonald believes his third trip to Iowa will be the charm saying,
“We ended up crashing out of both races there. It was very
frustrating because both times the car was fast. The first time
there was a learning experience and we really started to run well
before we wrecked. Last year Rollie and the guys had the car set up
great and we expected a good finish but we got caught up in one of
those racing accidents. We were running near the front when it
happened so we feel we can run well this time. Essentially we have
the same set-up but we have a couple of new wrinkles we think will
really help the car.”
After a somewhat disappointing start to the season the Rowley, Mass.
veteran knows it is important to do well this week saying, “We were
terrible at Greenville Pickens the first race but we improved for a
seventh place finish at South Boston but we know we have to post a
good finish at Iowa to stay in the points race. The team has been
working hard and we are confident we can get it done at Iowa
Speedway. We had two goals starting last week. One was to win the
ACT race at Oxford Plains and we did that this past Sunday. The
second is to win this Sunday in Iowa. We know we have the car to do
it; we just have to stay out of trouble and be there at the end.”
MacDonald enjoys the opportunity to compete at the track and with
the West drivers saying, “Iowa is a blast to drive. It is one of
those tracks that you can have a lot of fun driving side by side.
All the East drivers like to go up against the West guys and they
like racing against us. There is the competitive thing but since we
race with those guys a couple of times a year now, we have a lot of
fun. You know you will have a tough race with those guys but that is
what makes it fun for us and the fans.”
The Grimm Construction Chevy will take the green flag on Sunday with
the live update provided on
Neracing.com. Speed will provide video of the race on May 27 at
6pm. |
|
|
|
|
NASCAR Day Ready To Bowl In Iowa
K&N Pro Series Drivers and Iowa Speedway To Team With
The NASCAR Foundation For Special Fan Event On May 21
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
UNOH - NASCAR RACE TEAMS TO
VISIT CAMPUS MAY 18TH
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO SEE THE CARS &
MEET THE DRIVERS |
Tuesday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., two UNOH sponsored NASCAR
race teams will be on the University of Northwestern Ohio’s campus
at the High Performance Motorsports 600 Building on Hartzler Road
with their team haulers and race cars for students to view the cars,
get driver autographs and photo opportunities.
Todd Szegedy, driver of the # 2 UNOH – Wisk – Snuggles, NASCAR
Whelen Modified, and Eddie MacDonald, driver of the #71 UNOH – Grimm
Racing, NASCAR, K & N Pro Series Chevrolet, will be available for
all UNOH employees, students and the public.
Todd Szegedy will be competing in the “UNOH Perfect Storm 150” at
Bristol Motor Speedway on August 18th of this year as well as at
Martinsville Speedway on June 6th in the “Whelen All American 150”.
Szegedy is no stranger to UNOH. The 2003 NASCAR Whelen Modified
National Champion piloted the #2 UNOH modified last year at New
Hampshire Motor Speedway and at Bristol Motor Speedway for the
inaugural “UNOH Perfect Storm 150”.
Eddie
MacDonald will be wheeling the #71 UNOH, NASCAR K & N Pro Series
Chevrolet in the Inaugural “UNOH Performance 200” at Martinsville on
June 6th. While new to the
UNOH motorsports family, MacDonald is not a stranger to success on
the race track. He finished the 2009 Camping World Series East
campaign in 2nd place just 34 points behind Champion Ryan Truex.
Eight UNOH Motorsports Team members, Kody Weisner, Ben Bowers, Cody
Bland, Andy Mattord, Chris Puskas, Brandon Ziehl, Kevin Bradshaw and
Sam Thomas, will be participating on the pit crews for both of these
race teams in the NASCAR K & N Pro Series and Whelen Modified Series
events.
Also on hand will be the actual pace car from Martinsville Speedway
along with marketing representatives from both Bristol and
Martinsville tracks with handouts for the staff and students.
Last but not least, a NASCAR PR representative will be on hand to
answer questions for students, staff and the public about the series
and NASCAR in general.
The best time for media to do interviews and get video and pictures
is around 11 AM.
UNOH CONTACT: Cheryl Steinwedel - Public Relations & Marketing -
419-998-3240 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
EDDIE WINS THE OXFORD
ACT 150 |
|
ACT PR - Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA took the
checkered flag in the American-Canadian Tour 150 at Oxford Plains
Speedway in Oxford, ME. MacDonald started in the fifth starting
position and would take the lead on a lap 54 restart.
The 2009 Oxford 250 and ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor
Speedway winner would lead the remainder of the race but not without
pressure from hometown favorite Tommy Ricker of Poland, ME. Ricker
got to the rear bumper of MacDonald several times in the final laps
but didn’t have enough to get by while the two worked their way
through lap traffic. The 2009 ACT Late Model Tour Champion Brian
Hoar took third after leading the first 25 laps. MacDonald’s only
other ACT Late Model Tour win also came at Oxford Plains Speedway in
August of 2007.
John Donahue made a late race charge from his
31st starting position to finish fourth followed by Tim
Brackett rounding out the top 5. Travis Adams, Scott Payea, Brent
Dragon, Jeff White and TJ Brackett rounded out the top ten.
The 150 lap event was completed in just over 52
minutes and was slowed by just one caution on lap 54.
With his win in the second event of the 2010
ACT Tour schedule. MacDonald joins opening day winner Nick Sweet as
the first two qualifiers for the ACT Invitational at New Hampshire
Motor Speedway that will be held on Saturday, September 18. |
RACE NOTES
HEAT 4 - STARTED 6TH - 3RD AND TRANSFERRED
+ - HANDICAP START FOR FEATURE - 5TH
THE RACE: IN SECOND AT LAP 50 - LEAD ON LAP 55 RESTART
BUMPER TO BUMPER BATTLE WITH TOMMY RICKER AT THE FINISH |
|
|
|
|
Oxford Plains Speedway - Oxford,
ME
Saturday, May 16th -
2 PM
- 150 Laps |
|
EDDIE WILL RACE IN THE
ACT 150
AT OXFORD PLAINS ON SUNDAY |
Eddie and Rollie LaChance will
participate in this weekend’s American Canadian Tour race scheduled
for 150 laps at the famed Oxford Plains Speedway; a track the pair
has achieved great success through the years. This will be the first
outing for the #17 Late Model that won both the Oxford 250 and the
ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last season.
“We had a fantastic season in the Late Model but the problem is we
don’t get as many chances to race it because of our schedule in the
K&N Pro East Series,” said Eddie. “We were rained out in the
Governor’s Cup at Lee, so our only time in the car was at the test
and tune at Lee but we really didn’t have much time on the track
because we had the East car there that we are going to run at Lee on
July 30. This will be our only opportunity to run the car there
before the Oxford 250 on July 17.”
Both Eddie and Rollie have a history of running well at the Maine
track, not only posting the incredible 250 win but also winning
numerous times in the past. Rollie began his racing career at Oxford
that is just a few miles from his childhood home and despite all the
wins throughout his career there the 250 win had evaded his grasp
until last year. Rollie’s goals for the team, both Late Model and
ACT Tour, were to win at Loudon and at Oxford. The East team has won
three races in the last two seasons at the Magic Mille, coupled win
the first-ever Act race held at NHMS in September, so both driver
and crew chief would like nothing better that to add another Oxford
250 title to the list.
“We’ve done a lot of work on the car over the winter and it is ready
to go,” said Eddie at the shop. “We really didn’t get much of a read
at the practice session at Lee so the race on Sunday will give us a
lot of information we need for the Oxford 250. We both love that
track and Rollie definitely has it figured out so we expect to do
well. It would be super to win this week in the ACT car and next
week in the East car at Iowa Speedway. We will run in the make-up
Governors Cup at Lee on June 11 but we really need this race Sunday
to see what the car can do on the flat track. We have had great
success at Oxford and would like to continue that success. It should
be a fun race and the competition is really tough but the winner
automatically qualifies for the ACT race at Loudon in September so
that gives added incentive.”
The New England Dodge Dealers 150 is slated to begin qualifying
heats at 2:00 with a last chance consolation race to follow. All of
Oxford’s divisions are scheduled to compete in the speedway’s
opening day racing card. |
|
Saturday, April 3rd
.
|
|
SEVENTH PLACE
FINISH FOR EDDIE MACDONALD
AT SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY |
(South Boston Speedway,
April 3) Eddie MacDonald raced to a seventh place finish in the K&N
Pro Series East in the South Boston 150 in Virginia in the Grimm
Construction Chevy this past Saturday at the famed half-mile. The
Rowley, Mass. driver qualified in the eleventh position and rode in
fifth and sixth for much of the race before losing a spot on the
final lap. After last week’s disappointing 16th place run at
Greenville Pickens MacDonald feels the team is headed in the right
direction but needs to improve.
“Obviously we ran much better this week and the car was definitely
better than what we had last week but it is not where we want to
be,” said MacDonald after the race. “The car was really good in the
first practice, I think we were third fastest, but after that we
kind of struggled getting the car to turn in the corners. We were
either a little too tight in or loose off but then we were really
loose at the end. It is frustrating because we are so close to
nailing the set-up but we are just a little off and when you are a
little off against the competition this year it is tough to race for
the win. It will come. We’ve done it in the past.”
When the green flag waved MacDonald was content to maintain his
position in the early stages and move up when the opportunity
presented itself saying, “It doesn’t do us any good to race the
tires off the thing in the early going. I was just trying to be
smooth and make sure I had the tires at the end. I was able to move
up a few spots but South Boston is such a tough place to pass, you
don’t want to use everything up at the beginning. We really had a
nice pace going and the car was handling well. It was a little tight
but it was okay. No one was on our bumper so I could just take it
easy and save the equipment. We had the leaders in sight and that is
what we want because we usually have the car set up to be there at
the end”
On the lap 99 restart MacDonald had the #71 Chevy riding comfortably
in the sixth position until the final lap when the #20 car banged
his way on the inside. “By the end of the race the car was really
loose. The #20 car kept running into me and I was probably holding
him up but the car would not stay on the bottom. It was tough to
lose the spot on the last lap but there was nothing I could do. We
didn’t have anything for the leaders and I couldn’t get past
Kobyluck so I think we got as much out of it as we could. The series
is so competitive right now with all the new drivers and teams; you
really have to everything almost perfect to run in the top five.”
The series will be off until May 23 when the next K&N Pro East race
will be held at the fast 7/8th mile high-backed oval at Iowa
Speedway. “This will be our third time racing at the track and we
expect to run well there. It is a great track and a lot of fun to
drive. I think we have really learned a lot from our two races there
and we expect to do well. The team has already been preparing the
car at the shop and we are anxious to show what we can do. We know
we are capable of running better than we have.” |
7th
Place - Finish Here
SoBo Race Day Page
|
|
Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150
Saturday, March 27th
.
|
DISAPPOINTING RUN to 17th FOR EDDIE MACDONALD AT
GREENVILLE PICKENS SPEEDWAY |
Eddie MacDonald qualified sixth in the
opening event for the K&N Pro East Series race in the Kevin Whitaker
Chevrolet 150 at the famed speedway but an early race incident upset
the handling of the Grimm Construction Chevy. The eventual flat tire
resulted in a seventeenth finish for the veteran Rowley, Mass.
driver.
“I got pinched into the wall about forty laps into the race and I
think that is what caused the tire to eventually go flat,” said
MacDonald after the race. “I was just out there running easy and
trying to save my tires for the end of the race but that didn’t
happen. The tire developed a slow leak and by the end of the race it
was junk. We had a decent car and we were set up for the end so it
was just a matter of being patient and not abusing the tires. All
that went out the window when the tire went away.”
After finishing third in last year’s race MacDonald knew a good
qualifying run was essential to get up front and stay out of
trouble. MacDonald qualified sixth with a time of 20.959 seconds,
only one of nine cars in the thirty car field to post a time below
21 seconds around the flat, half-mile oval. When the green flag
waved, MacDonald continued to hold on to the fifth position for
nearly forty laps when another car squeezed him into the wall. “I
didn’t think it hurt the car at the time but as we went along I
started losing the handling and it really got loose in the turns. I
probably should have come in at that time but I didn’t want to give
up the track position. Greenville is a place where it is tough to
make the lap back if you stop.”
MacDonald maintained his position despite the tire issue. With only
50 laps to go MacDonald was running in the top ten but the handling
was quickly becoming an issue. On lap 119 MacDonald radioed Rollie (LaChance)
that the tire was definitely going down and by the lap 127-caution
the tire finally blew out. “It was one of those things that if I
pitted earlier and it wasn’t the tire going down then I made a big
mistake that cost us positions. However If I waited to see and it
went then I would have made the wrong decision. It was just one of
those things that whatever I did it was going to turn out wrong,”
said the dejected veteran driver.
A caution flag flew for a wreck in turn one on lap 127 and MacDonald
headed for the pits only to learn that NASCAR officials gave him a
one lap “discretionary” penalty. “I don’t know what happened there.
They were wrecking in turn one so I slowed on the front stretch so I
wouldn’t get in the mess because I couldn’t turn the car with the
flat. It was one of those things. It was a very frustrating day all
around. I thought we had the car to be there at the end. It may not
have been a winning car but I thought we had a top five car. It
really stinks because Rollie and the crew worked hard through the
winter to get us ready for the season. Hopefully we will come back
next week at So. Boston and have the run we are capable of having.
With only a ten race schedule, every race is so important for points
in the championship race.”
The K&N Pro East Series will take the green flag on Saturday, April
3 on the legendary So. Boston
Speedway.
|
|
|
|
Statistical Advance: Analyzing the
Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at
Greenville Pickens
NASCAR HOMETRACKS News & Notes:
K&N Pro Series East Set To Open
At Greenville Pickens Speedway
Full Story Here |
|
EDDIE
MACDONALD PREPARED TO CHALLENGE
FOR K&N PRO EAST CHAMPIONSHIP |
With the start of the
season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway only days away, Eddie
MacDonald and the Grimm Racing Team are ready to improve on last
year’s second place finish in the championship chase. The team has
been busy at work preparing the cars for the challenging ten race
schedule and hopes to jump out of the gate with a big win.
“With the short schedule we cannot afford to have any bad finishes
and we are excited to start in Greenville-Pickens,” said the eleven
year veteran. “We usually do well on tracks that are flat in the
turns, so we are looking forward to a solid run there. We finished
third there last season so we will be looking at our notes and
hopefully make a couple of changes to be in a position at the end to
fight for the win.”
MacDonald believes the team’s success is largely based on the fact
the crew has been together for four years and will enter this season
unchanged. “One goal is to keep improving and getting off to a good
start is necessary. With all the crew returning we have an excellent
chance of doing just that. Everyone knows their job and take great
pride in doing it well. I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of guys.
Rollie sets the schedule and everyone does their thing.”
Last season MacDonald posted ten top ten finishes with one win at
New Hampshire Motor Speedway and knows the team cannot afford a
letdown saying, “We ran well last year with top ten runs. We had one
out of the top ten but with only a ten race schedule we cannot even
have one bad run. There is a lot of talent running this year with a
lot of money behind them so we will have to race in the top five
each race if we are going to have a chance at the championship.
Every point will be important. Last year it came down to the final
race and we had a shot but it didn’t happen. We can look back at
three races during the season that really cost us. We can’t let that
happen this year.”
MacDonald is also thankful for the continued support of team owner
Rob Grimm saying, “None of this would be possible without Rob and
his family. He has given us everything we need to be successful. Rob
continues to upgrade our equipment every year. He doesn’t say a lot
and that is his management style. He expects us to do well and
understands when things don’t go so well. It has really been a great
partnership with him so it would be really great to win a
championship for him. Winning our three races at Loudon was huge for
him but I think a championship would really top the list.”
On Saturday, March 27 when the green flag waves to begin the season,
MacDonald knows a good start is important saying, “We have to
qualify up front and stay there. It is a difficult track to pass on,
so having a good handling car is very important. As I said it is a
good track for us but you have to be able to hug the bottom. The car
has to be set up so you can turn in the center and drive off the
corner. We have the same car we finished third with last year and
feel it is capable of getting the win. Everyone has worked hard all
winter and after our eighth place finish at the Showdown in January,
the team is ready to get the real season going. It should be a lot
of fun.” |
|
Tyme Out: A New
Launching Pad
K&N Pro Series where
development takes place |
By Ty Norris,
Special to NASCAR.COM - March 25, 2010 - 12:13pm
In the fall of 1997, Dale Earnhardt and I had a closed-door
conversation with an executive of our NASCAR Busch Series team's
primary sponsor. We were informing this distinguished gentleman that
we planned to move Steve Park to the Cup Series the following year
and were replacing him with an unproven driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Out of character, this executive lost his mind while expressing his
displeasure. After all, Park had won three times in his only full
season with DEI and finished third in points.
FULL STORY AT
HOMETRACKS |
|
|
NASCAR Announces
2010 TV Schedule
SPEED to cover K&N Pro Series
as well as seven Modified races |
|
Official Release
March 9, 2010 - 4:11pm
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
– NASCAR has announced today the television schedule for its
developmental series for 2010.
The expanded calendar includes
21 events on SPEED for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and seven races for
the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified
Tour. This comprehensive package includes airing of every race on
the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West schedules. Three of the
Whelen Modified Tours will air as same-day televised events.
SPEED, anchored by its popular
and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only
cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle
racing, performance and lifestyle. The NASCAR Developmental Series
programming will air Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET.
“Our NASCAR Developmental Series
all have a strong and passionate fan base, and we saw the results in
the viewership of last year’s events and in January for our
postseason showcase, the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown,” said
George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations.
“Our fans spoke, and we listened. We are thrilled to be able to work
with our television partners to provide extensive coverage of the
talented drivers and tracks that help form the foundation of this
sport.”
SPEED, in conjunction with
NASCAR Media Group, will air each tape-delayed race as a one-hour
show. SPEED will once again provide same-day coverage of the
combination event between the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen
Southern Modified Tour at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday, Aug.
18, as well as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at New Hampshire
Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 18 and the NASCAR Whelen Southern
Modified Tour finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday, Oct.
14.
SPEED’s
coverage will begin with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East opener at
Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway (race date is March 27; air date
is April 1) and conclude with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
finale from Phoenix International Raceway (race date is Nov. 11; air
date is Nov. 18). The schedule includes seven re-airs of previous
events during select Thursday slots throughout the season for a
total of 34 events.
In addition, NASCAR will expand
its relationship with the sports cable television network Versus to
include coverage of the NASCAR Developmental Series. It will air an
additional nine events from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
For the fourth season, TSN will
again provide season-long coverage of the NASCAR Canadian Tire
Series presented by Mobil 1.
The Versus and TSN programming
schedules are currently being finalized and details will be
announced shortly. |
| AIR DATE |
AIR TIME |
RACE DATE |
SERIES |
EVENT |
|
Thu, Apr 1 |
6 PM |
Sat, Mar 27 |
NKNPS EAST |
Greenville Pickens Speedway |
|
Thu, Apr 15 |
6 PM |
Sat, Apr 3 |
NKNPS EAST |
East South Boston Speedway |
|
Thu, May 27 |
1
PM |
Sun, May 23 |
NKNPS COMBO |
Iowa Speedway |
|
Thu, Jun 10 |
6 PM |
Sun, Jun 6 |
NKNPS EAST |
Martinsville Speedway |
|
Thu, Jul 1 |
6 PM |
Fri, Jun 25 |
NKNPS EAST |
New Hampshire Motor Speedway |
|
Thu, Jul 8 |
6 PM |
Sat, Jul 3 |
NKNPS EAST |
Lime Rock Park |
|
Thu, Aug 5 |
6 PM |
Fri, Jul 30 |
NKNPS EAST |
Lee USA Speedway |
|
Thu, Sep 2 |
6 PM |
Sat, Aug 28 |
NKNPS EAST |
Gresham Motorsports Park |
|
Thu, Sep 23 |
6 PM |
Fri, Sep 17 |
NKNPS EAST |
New Hampshire Motor Speedway |
|
Thu, Oct 7 |
6 PM |
Fri, Sep 24 |
NKNPS EAST |
Dover International Speedway |
|
|
|
K&N Engineering, Inc.
To Be Title Sponsor
For Top Developmental NASCAR K & N Pro Series |
 |
Official Release -
January 21, 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The National Association for Stock Car Auto
Racing (NASCAR) announced today that K&N Engineering, Inc., will be
the title sponsor for NASCAR’s top developmental series, formerly
known as the NASCAR Camping World Series East and West, beginning in
2010.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series will continue to crown champions through
separate schedules on the East and West Coast. The seven-year
agreement illustrates NASCAR’s commitment to the grassroots
foundation of the sport.
“K&N is a company that epitomizes the spirit of NASCAR,” said NASCAR
Chairman and CEO Brian France. “The developmental series are a
tremendously integral part of the past, present and future of NASCAR
– from the great champions throughout the years to the pipeline of
tremendous racers that have made their way up the NASCAR ladder to
our national series. Having a company with the dedication to the
sport and the automotive industry that K&N does speaks volumes to
the importance we place in the series.”
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series encompasses NASCAR’s oldest stock car
series in the West, which dates back to 1954, and the East that has
evolved from the former Busch North Series. It runs on a challenging
combination of speedways, short tracks and road courses, and the
series has made its mark throughout the years with tough competition
and exciting racing.
The Riverside, Calif.-based K&N Engineering is the inventor and
leading innovator of reusable cotton gauze filter technology for
automotive applications. K&N, which has grown from a family-run
business to a global company, traces its involvement with NASCAR
back to the days of supplying parts for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
races at the old Riverside Speedway.
“We are thrilled to be the Official Developmental Series Partner and
sponsor of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series,” said Steve Rogers, chief
executive officer of K&N Engineering. “Our roots in NASCAR go back
to the 1970s and this feels like a partnership long overdue. After
supporting grassroots and professional racing for decades, we love
the idea of supporting a developmental series that provides great
racing excitement while developing the top tier drivers of
tomorrow.”
K&N will make its on-track debut as the series entitlement sponsor
at the 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown – NASCAR’s prestigious
postseason event which has earned the moniker of the “Daytona 500 of
short-track racing.”
The event will be Jan. 29-30 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale
(Calif.) and will air live on SPEED and SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.
The all-star event brings together the variety of talent that is the
hallmark of the series – the top up-and-coming drivers in NASCAR and
the experienced veterans who make the series their home.
|
|
 |
2010
K&N Pro
Series East Schedule Announced |
DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has announced the 2010 schedule for the NASCAR
K&N Pro Series East that include a total of 10 events across eight
states.
FULL SCHEDULE HERE
“The NASCAR K&N Pro Series continues to visit key markets and top
race tracks up and down the East Coast,” said George Silbermann,
NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Operations. “The diverse schedule
should provide for an exciting season of racing and an excellent
opportunity for NASCAR’s rising stars to gain experience.”
The 2010 season will be highlighted by three companion events with
the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. New Hampshire Motor Speedway will have
its traditional events on June 25 and Sept. 17 in Loudon, N.H.,
while the champion will once again be crowned at Dover (Del.)
International Speedway on Sept. 24.
New to the K&N Pro Series East schedule in 2010 will be the
high-banked half mile of Gresham Motorsports Park. The Jefferson,
Ga., track is on the schedule for Aug. 28.
A pair of familiar venues will also return to the K&N Pro Series
East schedule in 2010. Historic Martinsville (Va.) Speedway played
host to the NASCAR Nationwide and K&N Pro Series East – then known
as the Busch and Busch North Series – for combination races in 1989
and 1990, and a return engagement is slated for June 6. And after a
five-year absence, Lee USA Speedway will welcome back the East for a
date on July 30. The .375-mile oval was the site of 16 K&N Pro
Series East from 1992-2004.
The K&N Pro Series East and West will converge on Iowa Speedway for
the fourth year in a row for the prestigious combination race on May
23 in Newton, Iowa. The first three editions of the event have
attracted also NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standouts Kevin Harvick,
Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch.
Other 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule highlights include:
• The 24th season of the K&N Pro Series East will commence at
Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on March 27, two weeks earlier
than last year. It will mark the fifth season in a row the half-mile
track has played host to the East.
• April 3 will see South Boston (Va.) Speedway bring the K&N Pro
Series East in for a doubleheader with the NASCAR Whelen Southern
Modified Tour. The venerable .4-mile oval has held East races since
2007. This will be the earliest that South Boston has been on the
calendar.
• The 1.53-mile road course at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.,
will return to the schedule on July 3 for the 18th time since 1993.
The race had been run in mid-August the two previous seasons.
• The Martinsville and Lime Rock races will be doubleheaders with
the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. |
|
 |
Photo by Annette
Dolbeare |
| MacDonald Named 2009 Busch Sport
Scene Driver of the Year |
Eddie MacDonald
participated in the 11th Annual Busch Sport Scene Ride for Charity
on February 6th, just one week after earning a top ten finish in the
NASCAR Toyota All Star Showdown in Irwindale, California. Eddie made
the trek to Rangeley, ME to support the annual charity event that
has raised over $100,000 in the past eleven years.
The event has also become the occasion to announce the Busch Sport
Scene annual awards. Busch Sport Scene publisher George Campbell
announced the magazine's Driver of the Year and Fans Favorite award
winners for the 2009 season. Eddie was honored as the winner of both
awards this year, becoming one of the few to have ever won both
awards in one year.
The Driver of the Year award is chosen by the Busch Sport Scene
staff members. Staff members are asked to nominate their top three
choices for the award, in order of first to third. The first place
driver receives three points, the second place driver earns two
points while the third place person gets a single point. The driver
with the most points is named the Busch Sport Scene Driver of the
Year.
Eddie had one of the most amazing years on the racetrack, by any
driver from the northeast in recent memory. As a full time
competitor on the NASCAR Camping World Series in 2009, Eddie
finished runner-up for the series championship, falling just 34
points behind series champion Ryan Truex, who drives for the Michael
Waltrip Racing team. Eddie notched ten top tens and a pair of pole
awards in his best career season in the CWS.
Eddie also won the 2009 Track Championship at New Hampshire Motor
Speedway. Driving the No. 71 NEMO/Grimm Construction Chevrolet,
Eddie finished sixth in the Heluva Good! 125 in June and won the
second Heluva Good! 125 in September, which led to his second
consecutive NHMS Track Championship.
Making Eddie's 2009 season even more remarkable is the other races
he ran outside of the NASCAR Camping World Series. Eddie also raced
a NASCAR modified car at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and a super
late model in the Pro All Stars Series. But his most impressive
performances of the 2009 season came in a late model stock car.
Eddie won the prestigious TD Banknorth 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway
with his late model in July. He then followed that up with an
amazing win in the American Canadian Tour's Inaugural ACT
Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September - on the
same weekend as he won the NASCAR CWSE Race at NHMS!
Eddie was presented the Driver of the Year package that featured a
$1000 gift Certificate from Bo Built Race Car Bodies. bo Built has
sponsored the award for several years now. Bo & Sally Galloway of Bo
Built Race Car Bodies provide the best bodies for many of the
premiere race teams in the region. Based out of Weare, NH, some of
Bo Built's winning clients include 2008 NASCAR Camping World Series
Champion Matt Kobyluck and Two-Time New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Champion Eddie MacDonald. Bo supplies stock car bodies for four of
the top ten finishing teams in the 2010 Toyota All Star Showdown,
including the winning team, Fadden Racing!
Get-Etched again provided the winners plaque, a beautiful granite
etched plaque honoring the annual award winner. They also included a
gift certificate for Get Etched products.
Previous Driver of the Year winners include Brad Leighton, Andy
Santerre, Mike Olsen, Joey Logano and last year's winner, Matt
Kobyluck.
"I'm especially happy to have Eddie win the Annual Busch Sport Scene
Driver of the Year award," Busch Sport Scene publisher George
Campbell said. "Eddie is such a talented driver and had an
incredible year, he really earned this award, he had one of the most
memorable seasons of a New Englander in recent history."
Brian Hoar was named
runner up this year after his great year, which he capped off by
winning his sixth American Canadian Tour Championship. His first win
of the 2009 season, and 24th of his ACT career, came when the ACT
Tour made it's return to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough,
Maine last July. He followed that race up with another win, this
time at Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut.
After presenting MacDonald with the Driver of the Year award, next
up was the Busch Sport Scene Fans Favorite Driver award. This award
is voted on by the readers of Busch Sport Scene and the popular
motorsports website, neracing.com The readers are asked to send in
the name of their favorite driver through the month of December.
They are asked to name the driver they most like to watch and follow
when they attend races.
"We received a long list of drivers names this year," Campbell said.
"Each week received a variety of names. But as the names added up,
one drivers name kept coming in with strong consistancy. It seemed
as though for every new drivers name we received, we received
another vote for Eddie MacDonald. by the time voting closed, Eddie
had nearly a 2 to 1 landslide win this year." |
|
JAN 29th-30th, 2010 |
 |
|
|
EDDIE REBOUNDS FOR
EIGHTH PLACE FINISH
AT THE ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN |
The seventh running of the Toyota All-Star
Showdown in Irwindale, California did not start out as planned for
the Grimm Construction Chevy. After struggling through both
practices and a disappointing qualifying run, the team rebounded to
finish a respectable eighth place. Eddie MacDonald, driving in the
newly sponsored K&N Pro Series, battled back from as far back as
23rd position to post the satisfying finish.
"We really struggled in practice to get the right set-up and we
never quite got it," said MacDonald after the race. "We tried four
different set ups but the car just did not get any better. It was
frustrating for everyone but Rollie and the crew kept working on it.
With the cars impounded after
qualifying, we planned to go out for the first 100 lap segment, see
what the car needed, then make adjustments during the ten minute
break."
The first practice only produced a 31st fastest time and after more
adjustments, Eddie Mac was only able to improve four positions in
the second practice with a time of 19.314 seconds. In qualifying,
the Rowley, Mass. driver shaved off over six tenths of a second with
a time of 18.711 sec. to earn the 17th starting positions on the
grid.
However, when the green flag waved, MacDonald slipped back into the
23rd spot before the mandatory caution flag waved on lap 98 with
Eddie Mac saying, "The car was horrible. It just wouldn't turn in
the corners and it was bouncing all over the place. It was too bad
we couldn't change front
shocks because that would have made all the difference. Instead we
made a number of small adjustments and the car was a lot better
after the break. It was still bouncing but not nearly as bad as it
was before the break. Rollie and the guys got the car much better in
the turns and we were able to pass some cars. Now we were going
forward instead of going backwards."
After the lap 103 restart, MacDonald gained ten positions by the
time the caution flag flew on lap 128. Three more of the fourteen
total caution flags did not allow enough continuous green flag laps
to get the momentum going to pass more cars. A red flag on lap 145
further cooled the chances for the #71
to mount a charge. By the second mandatory break on lap 201,
MacDonald was in eighth place and geared up for the final 25 laps.
"The way the car was handling by then I thought we could get a
couple of more spots but there weren't enough green flag laps in the
final 25 laps because of the two cautions. We lost the momentum we
had before the break. The yellow flags killed any chance for us to
move up. We expected a better finish but after the start we had,
finishing eighth isn't too bad. We are not thrilled but it was
decent considering everything."
"I have to thank team owner Rob Grimm, Rollie and the crew for all
the hard work. They just never give up. The trip requires a lot and
we couldn't do it without the support of our sponsors who have
helped us through the years. Of course, Grimm Construction, Waymart
Building Center, R.B. Fries, NEMO-New England Mechanical Overlay,
Racing with Jesus, Hanover Place, Hancock Electric, Bethel Woods,
and HMS Motorsports have been there for us and we greatly appreciate
it. This has been a lot of fun and we can't wait for our first
points' race at Greenville Pickens Speedway on March 27th." |
|
|
|
|
MACDONALD
LOOKS FOR WIN AT IRWINDALE |
|
Even though
the Toyota All-Star Showdown in Irwindale, California on January
29-30 is regarded as a post season event for the East and West
series, Eddie MacDonald and the Grimm Racing Team feels it is the
kickoff to the 2010 schedule. Touted as the “Daytona 500 of Short
Track Racing”, the team would like nothing better than a win in the
prestigious race.
“We have been
busy all winter preparing for this race and everyone is excited to
get racing and hopefully come away with the win,” said MacDonald
from his Newbury, Mass. garage. “We are bringing the car we ran
there two years ago to a fifth place finish and we have made some
changes especially with the set-up so we feel very confident of our
chances. We had a great season last year and we hope to continue
this year.”
Last season,
The Grimm Racing team posted some stellar numbers for an independent
team racing against the developmental teams sponsored by Cup
organizations. MacDonald finished second by 34 points to Ryan Truex,
a driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, while posting ten top ten
finishes. MacDonald won the September race at New Hampshire Motor
Speedway after finishing sixth in the June event. For his efforts in
the two races, MacDonald won the Lincoln Electric/Airgas NHMS Track
Championship for the second year in a row. Also, MacDonald raced to
two pole awards.
The success
continued as MacDonald, along with crew chief Rollie LaChance and
most of the East Series crew, won the prestigious TD BankNorth 250
at Oxford Plains Speedway and the inaugural American Canadian Tour
race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the #17 Late Model. For his
performance last season, MacDonald was chosen to receive the 2010
Expo Award for Touring Driver of the year presented to him by Amanda
Leach from Mainely Motorsports.
MacDonald
knows the competition will be extremely competitive saying, “I
expect a tremendous battle right from the start. No points are
involved so everyone will be racing hard for the win. You just hope
to stay out of trouble for 200 laps then go for the win. The track
is a lot of fun to drive with all the grooves but the fastest way
around is the bottom. Hopefully we have the set-up that will keep
the nose flat on the ground without any roll-over. I am going to
have to do that with the list of drivers who are going to be there.
Joey Logano and David Gilliland have a ton of experience on that
track. Sean Caisse is back racing with us and he is always tough.
Matt DiBennedetto will be there representing Joe Gibbs and of
course, Matt Kobyluck will try to make it three in a row. I am not
sure if Brett Moffitt and Max Gresham will be there but they just
signed with Gibbs. This will be an amazing field and I haven’t even
mention the regular West Series drivers. Whoever wins this thing,
and I am hoping it is us, will certainly earn it.”
The winner
will have bragging rights for the upcoming season with new sponsor
K&N Engineering replacing Camping World. The company has signed a
seven year agreement and will sponsor both the East and West. It
will be known as the K&N Pro East Series and will be the entitlement
sponsor at the Showdown. MacDonald is pleased to have the company
step up saying, “This is a great series and with the long term
commitment from K&N the series can only get better. I look forward
to meeting their representatives in Irwindale.”
Speed Channel and Sirius Radio will cover both
nights of racing. |
|
|
|
|
|
MACDONALD
READY FOR THE
TOYOTA ALL-STAR
SHOWDOWN
JAN 29-30, 2010 |
After posting a
successful 2009 finish in the NASCAR Camping World East Series,
Eddie MacDonald and his Grimm Racing Team would like nothing better
than to begin the 2010 racing campaign with a victory at Toyota
Speedway in Irwindale, California. By virtue of the September win at
New Hampshire Motor Speedway, MacDonald is guaranteed a starting
position in the seventh running of NASCAR’S Toyota All-Star Showdown
in January in the Grimm Construction Chevy.
However, the ten year series’ veteran knows there is a lot more than
just getting in the race saying, “It is great that we are guaranteed
a starting spot but that doesn’t mean anything when the race starts.
We have been preparing for this race since the end of the season and
we are really excited about our chances to win it all this year. The
car that we finished in fifth place two years ago at Irwindale is
nearly ready to go. We will look at the notes and come up with some
new adjustments that will hopefully get us up front for the race.”
The 225 lap event attracts the best racers from the East and West
Series, as well as, the champions from NASCAR’s six regional series
and The Whelen All-American Series National Champion. MacDonald
knows nothing short of perfection is going to be needed to win the
event saying, “The level of completion is fantastic. We are racing
with some of the best short track drivers in the country. Everyone
will be out to prove that they are the best right from the start. We
would like to run up front for the first two hundred laps and stay
out of trouble but on that track it won’t be easy. If your car is
set up right you can run the bottom and pass people. The track has
so many grooves you can run anywhere but you can pass cars on the
bottom.”
This is the third full season with Grimm Racing and MacDonald
expects great things this season saying, “Everything is on schedule.
Rob continues to provide us with the equipment and support to win.
The crew remains the same over the last two years with Rollie
calling the shots so things work very smoothly. We know that we have
a chance to win every time we race and that keeps everyone pumped
up. With this race in January, it keeps us busy all winter and ready
for the start of the 2010 season just a couple of months later.”
Just as the crew has been with the team since its inception the list
of sponsors will again provide the necessary support that makes any
team a success. Waymart Building Center, NEMO, A&B Vending, R.B.
Fries Inc., HMS Motorsports, and Hanover Place will again be on
board for the 2010 campaign.
“We are all excited to get out there and race. Irwindale is such a
great track to run on. They call this 'The Daytona 500 of Short
Track Racing' and in many ways it is. It kicks off our season and a
win there
will really start things off on a fantastic note. The fact Speed
Channel covers the race live gives our fans and the country a chance
to see what super drivers we have in our series. It should be fun
and we hope to be in Victory Lane at the end.”
Speed will televise both nights of racing on January 29-30 that will
include qualifying, a last chance 50 lap race, plus a 100-lap Super
Late Model and 75-lap late Model races. |
|
|
at the Augusta Civic Center |
|
www.northeastmotorsports.net |
|
Eddie was at
the EXPO for all three days & was signing autographs.
Eddie's CWES #71 that will be heading west for the NASCAR Toyota
All-Star Showdown and his #17 Late Model were on display.
Eddie received the 2010 EXPO award for Touring Driver of the Year
from Amanda Leach, co-host of the Mainely Motorsports TV show. |
|
|
|
|
>>
Previous Race Results HERE << |
