photo by RPM 360
Groveton, NH – Eddie “The Outlaw” MacDonald took the lead from Nick Sweet just past the halfway mark and never looked back en route to his second American-Canadian Tour (ACT) win of the season in the Central Asphalt Paving Generation Next 151 at Groveton, NH’s Speedway 51 on Saturday, June 18.
The Rowley, MA driver started seventh and slowly worked his way through the field in the early stages of the caution-free event. After moving into second place on lap 66 following an extended battle with polesitter Brandon Atkins, MacDonald needed just eight laps to reel in Sweet. He moved to the outside groove a few laps later, assuming the top spot on lap 78 and cruising to his first ACT win at the ¼-mile oval.
Au Sable Forks, NY’s Atkins led the first 18 laps from the pole before ACT point leader Sweet moved to the point. Sweet then opened up a 10-car-length gap over a three-way battle for second between Atkins, MacDonald, and Scott Payea. Atkins was able keep MacDonald at bay for a number of laps with the help of lapped traffic, but MacDonald eventually found his way around him.
Payea worked past Atkins shortly thereafter and soon found himself on Sweet’s bumper. The two put on a battle of their own for second before Payea took the position on lap 114 – but by then MacDonald was long gone.
Payea finished in second, while Sweet maintained his point lead with a third-place result. Atkins matched his season-best effort in fourth, while defending ACT Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. was the final car on the lead lap in fifth. Jimmy Hebert, Bobby Therrien, rookie Ryan Olsen, Mike Ziter, and Rich Dubeau rounded out the top-10.
Heat wins went to Payea, Sweet, and Ziter. Local driver Mike Kenison won the consi.
The ACT Late Model Tour travels to Massachusetts’ Seekonk Speedway on Saturday, July 16 for the Propane Plus 150. The event is the second leg of the Southern New England Tripleheader. Post time is 6:00pm.
For more information contact the ACT offices at 802-244-6963, media@acttour.com, or visit www.acttour.com.
ACT LATE MODEL TOUR
CENTRAL ASPHALT PAVING GENERATION NEXT 151
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Pos Start Pos Driver Car # Hometown Laps
- ( 7 ) Eddie MacDonald ( 17MA ) , Rowley, MA , 151 Laps
- ( 4 ) Scott Payea ( 37VT ) , Miton, VT , 151 Laps
- ( 5 ) Nick Sweet ( 40VT ) , Barre, VT , 151 Laps
- ( 1 ) Brandon Atkins ( 4NY ) , AuSable Forks, NY , 151 Laps
- ( 2 ) Wayne Helliwell, Jr. ( 27NH ) , Dover, NH , 151 Laps
- ( 3 ) Jimmy Hebert ( 58VT ) , Williamstown, VT , 150 Laps
- ( 14 ) Bobby Therrien ( 5VT ) , Hinesburg, VT , 150 Laps
- ( 9 ) #Ryan Olsen ( 61NH ) , N. Haverhill, NH , 150 Laps
- ( 6 ) Mike Ziter ( 54VT ) , Barre, VT , 150 Laps
- ( 12 ) Rich Dubeau ( 30NH ) , Lebanon, NH , 150 Laps
- ( 16 ) Kyle Welch ( 9NH ) , Newport, NH , 150 Laps
- ( 10 ) Brad Babb ( 15NH ) , Windham, ME , 150 Laps
- ( 17 ) Corey Mason ( 1NH ) , Groveton, NH , 150 Laps
- ( 15 ) Dillon Moltz ( 5CT ) , Waterford, CT , 150 Laps
- ( 20 ) #Devin O’Connell ( 1VT ) , Madison, CT , 150 Laps
- ( 18 ) Shawn Swallow ( 04NH ) , Stark, NH , 150 Laps
- ( 21 ) Bryan Mason ( 10NH ) , Stark, NH , 149 Laps
- ( 19 ) Trampas Demers ( 85VT ) , S. Burlington, VT , 148 Laps
- ( 8 ) Rowland Robinson, Jr. ( 28ME ) , Steuben, ME , 148 Laps
- ( 24 ) Claude Leclerc ( 11QC ) , Lanoraie, QC , 148 Laps
- ( 22 ) #Mark Jenison ( 22RI ) , Warwick, RI , 147 Laps
- ( 11 ) Oren Remick ( 21NH ) , Warner, NH , 147 Laps
- ( 23 ) Mark Hudson ( 82MA ) , Norton, MA , 144 Laps
- ( 13 ) Mike Kenison ( 3NH ) , Lancaster, NH , 119 Laps
DNS Doug Laleme ( 74NH ) , Bethlehem, NH
Lap Leaders: Brandon Atkins, 1-18; Nick Sweet, 19-77; Eddie MacDonald, 78-151. (2 lead changes among 3 drivers)
Time of Race: 36:05 Margin of Victory: 5.452 seconds
Cautions: none
Heat Winners: Scott Payea, Nick Sweet, Mike Ziter
Consi Winner: Mike Kenison