photo by Chris Roy
One week after winning at Bristol Motor Speedway in the K&N Pro Series East’s third race of the season, Eddie Mac appeared headed for a seventh place finish in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at historic Greenville Pickens Speedway. Some rough driving after a lap 145 restart cost Eddie Mac three positions over the last five laps to push the Grimm Construction Chevy to a tenth place finish. Despite the run, both driver and owner (Rob Grimm) gained one more spot into fifth place in the point’s race after four starts.
“We didn’t have the car we had last week at Bristol but it was decent and I thought we could get up to fifth but the # 4 car (Pena) nearly wrecked us,” said an unhappy Eddie Mac. “When the green flag waved with only five laps to go, the #4 car lifted my rear end off the ground and drove me sideways all the way down the backstretch. I even waved to him out of my side window but he did it again in turn one. Everyone thought he was going to wreck me but I was able to get it straightened out but the damage was done. I guess he really wanted that all-important seventh finishing position,” said MacDonald sarcastically. (Pena finished ninth)
During the first practice the #71 posted a 16th fastest time but the team was not expecting a lot with Eddie Mac saying, “This place chews up tires and we didn’t use new ones for mock qualifying runs in either the first or the second practice like most of the teams. We felt we had a pretty good car so the strategy was to get what we could before the break near the halfway lap, put on four new tires, make necessary adjustments, and hopefully be in position near the end of the race to make a run for the win. Unfortunately I messed up in qualifying and drove it in too hard in the turn and with the track as flat as it is and rough there was no way to regain what we lost. We had to start further back than we expected.”
Starting 20th in the 26 car field, Eddie Mac was patient moving slowly through the field when the green flag waved. By lap 50 The Grimm Construction/Multiple Sclerosis Chevy ran in 16th position and into 15th on the lap 68 restart and drove into the top ten, ninth place, when the competition halfway flag flew on lap 76.
“We took on four tires, fuel, and made minor adjustments for the final half of the race and felt we had at least a top five car,” said Eddie Mac. “We knew it would be tough to get to the front but anything can happen so I knew I had to be patient with a purpose and take the spots when the opportunity came about. The track chews up the tires pretty quickly after 30 laps so I knew everyone would be slipping and sliding around near the end so we just had to be lucky and be in the right spot to take advantage. Toward the end it got pretty crazy out there. “
By lap 135 Eddie Mac rode in the seventh spot when the fifth caution flag flew on lap 138. With only five laps remaining when the final green flag waved on lap 145, Eddie Mac was poised to move forward only to be driven into by Pena with Eddie Mac saying, “We started on the inside and I figured some guys would be sliding up the track on worn tires so I stayed on the bottom ready to make a move. Unfortunately y the #4 wanted to drive through me and that’s when he almost wrecked us. Once wasn’t enough so he did it again on the next lap. We were hoping for a better finish but at least we held on to tenth and didn’t load up a wrecked racecar. We are now fifth in the point’s race and heading next to Richmond. I really want to thank Rob and Carla Grimm, the crew, sponsors, and all our fans for all the support.”
Grimm Construction is the main sponsor but the Grimm Racing Team also receives the support of Stilo, HMS Motorsports, Schroth Racing, Peterson Auto, Waymart Building Center and RB Fries. It proudly displays the banners for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Racing with Jesus, and New Path Adventures. The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 will be televised on Fox Sports 1 on Friday, March 28, at 11 a.m. The fifth event on the NASCAR K&N Series East schedule will take the green flag on April 25 in the Blue Ox 100 at Richmond (Va.) International Speedway.