Jun 16, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
photo by RPM 360
Waterbury, VT – The “Outlaw”, Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA will use the quarter mile bull ring, Speedway 51, in Groveton, NH to regain his momentum toward a first American Canadian Tour (ACT) Championship on Saturday, June 18, 2016.
It has been uncharacteristic for Eddie MacDonald to move out of the lead when he is on top, whether in a race or points chase. The 2016 American Canadian Tour will reach the halfway point on Saturday, June 18 at Speedway 51. There have been five different race winners so far in the season: Bobby Therrien, Oxford Plains Speedway; Scott Payea, Lee USA; Nick Sweet, Thunder Road & Devil’s Bowl; Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. New London-Waterford; and Eddie MacDonald at Airborne. During this time the “Outlaw” has found himself in the race for a title in first, second (two times), third, fourth, and fifth. This is the closest points race in the long history of ACT. He has a low finish of 20th , a pair of eighth place finishes and a third, second and first.
Current point leader Nick Sweet said, “I went through my struggles at the beginning of the season and fell as far as tenth place in the points early. Lately, we have been getting things sorted out, but Eddie had some bad luck at Waterford with the last lap oil spill and wrecked his car. He and Rollie (Lachance) have always been very good at Speedway 51, so I think he is still the one to keep your eye on as we move forward. Unfortunately, there are also three or four others that are in the hunt and don’t forget that Wayne (three-time ACT Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH), he is just now getting things rolling. It should be a great second half to the season,” said Sweet.
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May 25, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, More Maine Racing News
photo by RPM 360
By: Dick Casey
Eddie MacDonald dominated the field in a late race charge to post a second place finish in the American Canadian Tour’s fifth race of the season at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut on Saturday, May 21. The Rowley, Mass. veteran, driving the EXIT Realty/Hancock Electric Chevy through lapped traffic chased winner Joey Polewarczyk over the final ten laps of the 100 lap feature to just fall short at the checkered flag. The finish was costly as the Freddie Paterson owned Chevy crashed heavily into the front stretch wall.
“We were very happy with the second place run but the car took a big hit and will need some serious repairs before we race again at Devil’s Bowl,” said Eddie Mac surveying the damage. “I guess the 1vt lost an axle and put down a lot of oil on the track and when I drove off four on the final lap the car just hit the oil and sent it straight into the wall. It was a hard hit but I’m alright but I can’t say the same for the car. But we will get it fixed and be ready for the next race.”
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May 17, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News, Touring Series News
Plattsburgh, NY – Eddie MacDonald beat the best of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) and the weather to boot on Saturday, May 14, passing Nick Sweet in the closing laps to win the 42nd Spring Green 116 at Plattsburgh, NY’s Airborne Park Speedway.
Rowley, MA’s MacDonald had worked from his 13th starting position into the top-5 when a rain shower just past the halfway point threatened to halt the event. But the rain eventually passed, and MacDonald made his move during the final green flag run, getting to the outside of Sweet with 11 laps remaining as the two worked through lapped traffic. MacDonald cleared Sweet a lap later and powered to his sixth career ACT Late Model Tour win.
Alex Labbe started on the pole and assumed the lead after an early back-and-forth battle with Brandon Atkins. Fellow Quebecer Patrick Laperle eventually reeled Labbe in on lap 36, with Sweet right behind.
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May 16, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
By: Dick Casey
Eddie MacDonald staged an impressive door-to-door battle in the closing laps with Nick Sweet to capture his first win in the American Canadian Tour event at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. in the Spring Green 116 on Saturday, May 14. Eddie Mac powered the Exit Realty/Hancock Electric Chevy to the lead on lap 107 and held on to the lead to post his sixth ACT win of his career.
“This is really a great win and to do it against Nick and Patrick (Laperle) is one of those races you remember forever,” beamed the veteran racer. “We had so many things go our way today, especially the weather. At the halfway mark the rain came and I thought our day might be done with a sixth place run but the officials kept us out there for 25 minutes to keep the track dry. It was a great call on their part and gave us the opportunity to win it.”
Eddie Mac started the 116 lap race on the half-mile oval in 13th place after an even rating in the heat with the winner saying, “I was a little concerned after the heat because we started in third place and didn’t pass a car. The handling wasn’t great so I didn’t know what to expect. However the car didn’t change for the worse and actually got a little better after the rain break and I was able to drive it to the front. I think the leaders fell off a bit and that helped me as well as the lapped cars.”
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May 10, 2016 | American Canadian Tour, More Maine Racing News, NE Racing News
photo by RPM 360
By Dick Casey
Eddie MacDonald battled a tight race car on Sunday, May 8 in the 18th Annual Merchants Bank 150 at Thunder Road in Barre, Vermont to post an eighth place finish in the American Canadian tour’s race at the famed speedway. The event originally scheduled for last weekend but postponed due to rain, was again delayed by morning rain and blustery cold weather prevailed throughout the day.
“I don’t really know what happened to the car during the race,” said Eddie Mac. “We were really happy with it in practice and in the heat. Even during last Saturday’s practice here, we felt like the car was going good and we would have solid shot at the win. I don’t know if it was the cold or something else but the car was tight right from the start of the race and just didn’t have any speed.”
Eddie Mac drew the sixth starting position in the second heat but actually started second when cars in front of the Rowley, Mass. veteran dropped out. The Exit Realty/Hancock Electric Chevy easily won the heat earning a plus one rating forcing a 12th place start in the feature with Eddie Mac saying, “We started on the outside and there were a number of cars in front of us that just couldn’t run out there. I fell back in the pack and with the car not handling, it just kept getting worse. It was a struggle during the race to get the car going.”
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