Eddie MacDonald Wins ACT Race at Oxford and Finishes Eleventh in PASS Race
Eddie MacDonald started the day at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, May 20 with an impressive win in the first of three American Canadian Tour’s Summer Showdown Series. In the nightcap, Eddie Mac struggled with an ill-handling car to post an eleventh place finish in the Pro All Star Series’ Honey Badger Bar and Grill 150.
Fresh off a second place run last week in the ACT Governor’s Cup at Lee USA Speedway, Eddie Mac would not be denied the win on the flat, demanding oval in Oxford, Maine. The EXIT Realty/Hancock Electric Chevy started seventh in the first 12 lap feature, then finished third to earn a +4 rating good enough to start on the outside pole in the 30 car field in the 150 lap event.
Eddie Mac started next to long-time ACT competitor Nick Sweet as the two distanced themselves for nearly 75 laps before Eddie Mac made an epic three wide pass for the lead in heavy lapped traffic on lap 76. Eddie Mac dove to the inside with Sweet on the outside of two lapped cars to gain the top spot to hold off Sweet and late challenger Jimmy Hebert to post the his 10th career Act win and the $5000 payoff.
With Eddie Mac cruising along the first caution flag of the race flew with only 18 laps to go set the stage for a tight finish with Hebert close behind. Another caution on the restart reset the field with Eddie Mac holding off the Hebert challenge to post the win by a car length.
“This is a great win for our team today and I have to thank our car owner Freddie Peterson and his wife Shelia for everything they do for us,” said Eddie Mac. “Rollie (Crew chief LaChance) and the crew gave me a great car today. I was able to run inside and outside and with all the lapped traffic playing a major role today, handling was extremely important. The crew did a masterful job today because we had both the late model and the pro stock and that is very demanding. I also thank our sponsors Derek Beatrice from EXIT Realty and Kenny and Scott Thompson from Hancock Electric. We could not do any of this without their support.
Immediately following his win and trip to ACT tech, Eddie Mac raced to his EXIT Realty pro stock for the Honey Badger Bar and Grill 150 in staging. The Dave Lemieux owned Chevy started sixth in the event after posting a third place run in qualifying. The car was extremely tight right from the drop of the green flag and was dragging the track. Eddie Mac rode in the 8th position then decided to pit on the lap 50 caution flag for major adjustments, returning to the track in the 18th spot. The #17 returned to the pits on caution lap 56 for another adjustment to restart the race 19th.
With the car freed up too much, Eddie Mac battled to get to the 11th position by lap 125 but was unable to gain any more spots before the checkered flag on lap 150 with Eddie Mac saying, “We definitely hoped for a better finish but the car was just too tight to start the race then it was to free and it was a struggle. However, it gave us a good understanding of what we need to do when we come back here for the 250. I have to thank car owner Dave Lemieux (Lemieux Home Builders) and Brian Neal (Neal Excavating) for everything they do for us. They are both great guys with a real passion for this sport. Dave’s Mom and sister are committed like Dave and are here every race and make all the food for the crew. We couldn’t ask for better people. With the Peterson’s and the Lemieux’s support, our team is very lucky.”
Eddie Mac’s next ACT race on the schedule is at Groveton, NH on June 2 with the Pro Stock competing in the Granite State Pro Stock Series at Loudon, NH on June 23-24.