2011 Race Stories and Photos

Follow Eddie on
race weekends at
Rent-a-Wreck Fall Foliage 200

Saturday, Oct. 8th
TOUGH FINISH FOR EDDIE AT AIRBORNE
Eddie finished 17th in the RENT-a-WRECK Fall Foliage 200 ACT race at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, New York on Saturday. Driving the Freddy Peterson owned Hancock Electric sponsored ride, Eddie finished second in his qualifying heat, placing him 17th on the starting grid. By the fourth caution on lap 59, Eddie was riding in the 11th spot but struggling with an extremely loose car.

“We tried a lot of things in practice and in testing the day before at White Mountain but we never seemed to be able to get the car where we wanted it,” said a disappointed driver after the race. “We were hoping all the changes we made would turn it around but nothing seemed to help. After we finally pitted for tires, fuel, and some adjustments, the car was a little better but not where we could be competitive. Freddy is a great guy and we were hoping to do well for him but it was not meant to be.”

Thirty-six cars started the 200 lap event over the fast half mile oval with Eddie running from 11th to 17th for much of the race. To complicate matters, Eddie lost radio contact with the crew for 40 laps before pitting on lap 129. “It was getting pretty wild out there so I am glad we got our communications back. When you are struggling like that, you need all the help you can get. Unfortunately it did not stop the #18 (Jamie Fisher) from taking us out. Even as bad as we were, we almost had a decent 11th place finish but we got wrecked. He had been doing that all day and this time he got us,” said Eddie.

With 22 laps remaining, Eddie was running the outside groove in the 11th spot when Fisher dived-bombed from behind Eddie to the inside in turn one then washed up the track using the #17 as a backstop. Eddie spun up the track with the rear of the car dragging on the ground. Rollie and the crew were able to stabilize the rear damage and send Eddie back out just to finish the race.

“It was definitely disappointing to finish like that,” said Eddie. “I want to thank Freddy and his wife Sheila and all the guys that showed up to help with the car. We didn’t know how many people would make the trip, so we are thankful for all the help. We even had our Hancock Electric sponsor Kenny Thompson working on the crew and he did a great job. We’ll just head back to the shop and start preparing for next year. We did accomplish one of our goals in winning the ACT Invitational this year, so we are pleased with that. It was a disappointing way to end the season but we also had fun. Anytime you can drive a race car around a place like Airborne Speedway, you are having fun.”
Photos by Richard Casey 
MacDonald Surprise Entry to ACT Fall Foliage
ACT SERIES PRESS RELEASE - The American Canadian Tour (ACT) Rent-A-Wreck Fall Foliage 200 at Airborne Speedway this Saturday, October 8, 2011 will have some surprise entries.

Perhaps the most surprising entry came from the star of the ACT Invitational at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) two weeks ago: Eddie MacDonald, from Rowley, MA who has entered the 200-lap event following his second ACT Invitational win.

“I have heard how great Airborne’s half mile races have been, and since our season on the NASCAR K&N Series will be over (MacDonald finished 5th at Dover Downs International Speedway last weekend) this should be a lot of fun. I really enjoy racing with the ACT guys and just maybe Nick (Sweet) and I can have another battle….that would be pretty special,” said MacDonald.

Sweet, from Barre, VT, has now finished second to MacDonald in two of the three Invitational events at NHMS. He will be driving the #57 RPM Ford for the Rick and Michelle Paya team to finish out the 2011 ACT points season.
The DOVER 150

 Dover International Speedway
Dover, DE
FRIDAY, SEPT. 3O - 5:15 PM
FOURTH PLACE FINISH FOR EDDIE AT DOVER
Eddie MacDonald and the Grimm Racing Team closed out the K&N Pro Series East schedule with an impressive fourth place finish in the Dover 150 at the Dover International Speedway. After “terrible” practice and qualifying sessions, the #71 Grimm Construction Chevy fought its way from a 26th starting position to post its second top five run in the final two events of the season.

“We were just terrible in practice so the crew spent all of Friday morning changing everything, including the radiator cap, and even though qualifying was not good, the car was a lot better,” said the Rowley, Mass. veteran. “I have to thank those guys for all their hard work. It is because of them, we had the finish we did. It feels great to run fourth on this track and we finally had some luck on our side for a change. There were guys in front of us that had flats, wrecks, or ran out of gas and that helped us get to the front.“

By lap 20 MacDonald was in 18th and on lap 37 took over the 10th spot on the “Monster Mile” and was able to gain two more positions before the caution flag waved on lap 71. With the leaders pitting, Eddie Mac restarted in the third spot when racing resumed on lap 83. Another caution on lap 100 gave the team an opportunity to pit for tires and gas. Even a flat tire came at the best time as the crew was able to send the Grimm Chevy back to the track with four new Goodyears with MacDonald saying, “We ran our first set of tires for nearly one hundred laps, so when we went back to racing we had to start near the rear but with the new tires we were able to pass a lot of cars on our way to the front. Guys really started having problems then, so that helped us even more.”

With 25 laps to go, Eddie Mac was running in the 12th spot and moving quickly through the field. While running seventh with four laps to go, the leader Moffitt crashed hard into the wall to set up a green/white checker finish. Restarting in sixth, MacDonald passed two cars in the final two laps to finish fourth in the 152 lap event.

“We had a tough season so it was great for everyone associated with this team to run fourth on a track that is as difficult as this one,” said MacDonald. “We have had a number of things go against us this year so it was fun to have things fall our way despite the bad start. To end the season on a positive note is a lot of fun for everyone. I really thank Rob and Carla Grimm for everything they have done. Our sponsors and fans have been terrific. Rollie and the crew have worked hard and it is great to finish strong. I hope everyone gets to watch the race on Speed.”

With the run last week at New Hampshire and this week at Dover, Eddie Mac finished the season in seventh place in the point’s race, while Rob Grimm finished eighth in the owner’s race. The Dover 150 will be televised on Speed Channel at 7pm this Thursday, Oct. 6.
-
LIVE: K&N East At DOVER  - HERE
For the Event Schedule, Entry List, Practices, Qualifying, Lap by Lap, & Results
-
News & Notes: September 30th in DOVER - HERE

Fast Facts
The Race: The Dover 150 at Dover International Speedway is the final event of the 12-race 2011 schedule for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. This will be the 11th all-time stand-alone race for the East at Dover.

The Procedure: The starting field is 30 cars, including provisionals. The first 26 cars will have secured starting positions based on two-lap qualifying. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 150 laps (150 miles).

The Track: Known as the ‘Monster Mile,’ Dover is an even one-mile concrete oval with banking of nine degrees on the straightaways and 24 degrees in the turns.

 Race Winners: There have been nine winners in the previous 10 K&N Pro Series East races at Dover. Brett Moffitt is the two-time defending winner at Dover and is the only driver with multiple wins at the track.

Pole Winners: There has yet to be a driver that has earned multiple poles at Dover. Max Gresham earned the pole in last year’s event and Matt DiBenedetto has the qualifying record at 23.201 seconds (155.166 mph), established in 2009.
Prior History: The K&N Pro Series East competed in 10 combination races at Dover from 1987-1992. These were combo events with the NASCAR Nationwide Series in which competitors designated the series they wished to earn points for at the time of entry.

 25 For 25
The 2011 season is the 25th in series history. From its days as the Busch North Series, to the present-day NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, there are countless moments that have come to define the series. Each week we will take a look back at those moments and figures that have defined the series.

Champions Crowned at Dover: Since 2007, Dover International Speedway has been the home for crowning K&N Pro Series East champions. Joey Logano took a 171-point lead on Sean Caisse to Dover in 2007 and then finished second to Caisse in the race to start the tradition. Matt Kobyluck celebrated his 2008 crown at the ‘Monster Mile’ with one race left in the season and both of the titles earned by Ryan Truex in 2009 and 2010 came down to the last race of the season at Dover.

Like this year’s season finale, there was plenty of drama leading up to the 2009 championship event as Truex led Eddie MacDonald by just 30 points. With little margin for error, Truex ended up finishing one position ahead of MacDonald on the track to clinch his first title and then cruised to his second in a row last year after his nearest challenger, Darrell Wallace Jr., was involved in an early accident.
-
Statistical Advance: THE DOVER 150 - HERE
Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
 •  Has six wins, two poles and 62 top 10s in 143 career NKNPS East starts.
•  Is seventh in the standings with six top 10s. Best finish this year is third at Iowa Speedway.
•  Has three top 10s in nine previous starts at DIS. Best finish is third in 2004.
 
The ACT Invitational 50

New Hampshire Motor Speedway
 Loudon, NH
 Sat. September 24th

Photo by Chris Roy
 EDDIE WINS THE ACT INVITATIONAL AT NHMS 
After battling Nick Sweet over the final fifteen laps, Eddie MacDonald fought his way to the lead on the final turn of the 50 lap ACT Invitational to capture the event for the second time in three tries after winning the inaugural. The “Outlaw” started deep in the pack in the 25th position before taking the lead on lap 32 of the 43 car field.

The #17 Hancock Electric Pontiac was fastest in practice and is the same car that won the inaugural event three years ago. A faulty coil burned Eddie Mac’s chances of sweeping both ACT races this season when his day ended with 14 laps remaining in during the Indy race weekend. MacDonald and crew chief Rollie LaChance were not to be denied this weekend. The epic battle with Sweet over the last 15 laps had the crowd on its feet while the race was not settled until the final turn on the final lap.
 
MacDonald appeared headed to a comfortable win after taking the lead with 18 laps remaining. However Sweet motored his way to MacDonald’s tail and the duo raced the final 15 laps door to door while swapping the lead four times. Two caution flags on laps 41 and 45 bunched the cars but it was the two leaders that set the stage for the incredible finish. The Hancock Electric Pontiac had the better restarts and was better in turns one and two but Sweet was very strong in turns three and four with MacDonald saying, “That car was fast. Every time I thought I had him cleared he was right at my door. Nick drove an incredible race.”

Sweet took the lead for two laps on lap forty but MacDonald fought back on the outside. Eddie Mac regained the lead only to lose it again to set up the final lap with the two door to door all the way around the track. That is when the veteran driver made the move coming out of turn four to seal the win saying, “I didn’t know it was Nick in that car. I feel bad cutting him off but I wanted to do everything I could do to win. We were lucky at the end. I was so psyched to get my new sponsor Hancock Electric in victory lane. Kenny Thompson has been really great helping us out beginning this year in New Smyrna. It really feels good to be back in victory lane and I want to thank Rollie and the crew and our East team owner Rob Grimm for everything they have done. We are definitely going to enjoy this for a while. Our fans are the best and I am so happy we got this win for them to share with us.”
         
         
        Above & Left
Photos by
Richard Casey 
        Photos by
Chris Roy 
The New Hampshire 125

New Hampshire Motor Speedway
 Loudon, NH
 Fri. September 23rd
FIFTH PLACE FINISH FOR MACDONALD AT NHMS 
Eddie MacDonald crossed the finish line in the rain-shortened New Hampshire 125 in fifth place in the K&N Pro Series East race at the “Magic Mile.” The Rowley, Mass. veteran felt the car was much better than the top five run especially after starting on the outside pole position with a qualifying run of 127.363mph (29.905 sec.) in the 36 car field.

“The car was great in the qualifying run but when we started the race it was really tight in and tight off. We knew the rain was coming so we didn’t want to take a chance of pitting then getting stuck in the back if the rain ended the race, which it did on lap 78. We were hoping the leaders came in on the lap 32 caution so we could make the adjustment but everyone stayed out. I know if we got the chance to work on it we could have driven to the front. The Daymark/Grimm Construction Chevy was definitely fast in practice and qualifying so it was a little disappointing we didn’t get the chance to work on it during the race but we’ll take a top five run.”

Practice was delayed due to the rain and when the cars took to the track, the teams were limited to one hour to work on the cars with MacDonald saying, “There were a few different set-ups we planned on trying but we were limited to only a couple but we were obviously very pleased with the set-up we had for qualifying. It would have been nice to get the pole and we only missed by a couple of tenths but anytime you can start near the front at Loudon, it is a huge advantage. Rollie, the crew, and I have had a lot of success here in the past and thought we had something for them but the rain took care of that. All in all, a top five finish here is satisfying but we had hoped for more.”

Eventual winner Brett Moffitt passed the #71 for second place early on as MacDonald battled to stay with the leaders saying, “The car was tight from the start so I just had to settle in where I could run and wait for a chance to pit to make the adjustments. We ended up running in the fifth spot with no one pushing us from behind so that was a comfortable place to be. When the yellow came out on lap 32 we were just going to follow the leaders and unfortunately everyone decided to stay out. We knew the rain was all around us so it was not surprising anyone hit pit road. After that we were stuck in fifth place and when Bouley hit the backstretch wall we knew it was all over. It was raining with the track getting slick, and it was getting dark. I have to stay that NASCAR and the track officials did a great job getting almost everything in with all the rain we had. If we didn’t have that short delay to finish the Cup qualifying we probably would have finished our race but that is how it goes. This is my favorite track and I enjoy running here.”

“This has been a tough year for us so to have a fifth place run is great for the crew. I can’t thank them enough for the hard work and sacrifices they make to make this happen. Rollie had a great set-up for us and it would have been great to see what happened in the long run. We are heading to Dover for our final race of the season next week and that is another track we have had success so it would be nice to have another solid run there to finish this season on a high note. I have to thank Rob Grimm and all our sponsors for everything they have done for us. We have a lot of loyal fans and that means a lot to us. Hopefully we will give the something to cheer about next week.” 
         
         
         
      Above & Left
Photos by
Richard Casey  
      Photos by
Chris Roy
- 
The New Hampshire 125 has been checkered at lap 78
due to rain, darkness, and damage to the backstretch fence.
Eddie has posted an unofficial finish of 5th.
Eddie Has Qualified in 2nd with a 29.905 sec. lap
Story and Video of Press Conference HERE
 
LIVE: K&N East At LOUDON  - HERE
 For the Event Schedule, Entry List, Practices, Qualifying, Lap by Lap, & Results
 
News & Notes: September 23rd in Loudon - HERE

New Hampshire Season Sweeps:  For two decades New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been the grandest stage for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series to compete on and a season sweep has been rare feat, yet the trend has picked up in recent years.

From 1990-2006, just one driver was able to take the broom to the rest of the competition: Mike McLaughlin in 1992 when he won the races. Kelly Moore in 1998 and Brad Leighton in 2002 came close to accomplishing the season sweep, but in those years there were three events and they won two.

Joey Logano won both the summer and fall races in 2007 to set off a new trend of single-season domination. Eddie MacDonald followed with a sweep in 2008 and Ryan Truex took checkers in both events a year ago.

Max Gresham will look to add his name to the prestigious list of NHMS season sweepers when the K&N Pro Series East returns to the ‘Magic Mile’ this week following his dominant triumph in July.
 
Statistical Advance: New Hampshire 125 - HERE
Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
 •  Has six wins, two poles and 61 top 10s in 142 career NKNPS East starts.
•  Is eighth in the standings with five top 10s.
•  Has three wins, a pole and 10 top 10s in 22 career starts at NHMS. Was ninth in July.
The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140

Greenville-Pickens Speedway
 Greenville, SC
Mon. September 5th
TOP TEN FOR MACDONALD AT GREENVILLE
The K&N Pro Series East finally returned to action after a month long hiatus plus an additional week when rained delayed the Labor Day event at Greenville Pickens Speedway to this past Saturday. “The Old House of Racing” hosted the Kevin Whitaker 140 and hopes were high in the Grimm Racing pits after a first practice run in seventh place for Eddie MacDonald, followed by an eleventh place run in the second practice. The veteran driver finished the race in the ninth position and moved up one spot to seventh in the point’s race with two events remaining.

A less than satisfying run in qualifying would start the #71 Chevy deep in the field in the 19th position with MacDonald saying, “I thought I had a good car and everything felt good but something happened in our one lap qualifying run. I don’t know if I slipped up the track or what happened but starting that deep in the field we knew was going to be a problem. There are just so many good cars, we knew we had to be patient and get some breaks.”

At the halfway flag, MacDonald was running in the tenth spot and hoping to pick up some more positions saying, “The car was still going good but then I got stuck behind four cars that just covered the track and there was nowhere to go. This track is tight, flat and hard to pass on, so you end up using up the tires, brakes and everything else to get to the front. The long green flags did not help any either. By the time I finally cleared the lapped cars I could only move up to eighth. By that time we only had about fifteen laps left and I was trying to hold on without losing any more spots. The tires were pretty used up by then and I ended up losing one spot to finish ninth.”

“Of course, we would liked to have a better finish and who knows what we could have done if not for the qualifying run but we will move on to Loudon for our next to last race and fight to have a good run there,” said MacDonald. “We are not pleased with the season so far so a good solid run there and at Dover will really help. We know we can run better and we have at times this season , so having two consistent runs to end the season will go a long way for our team.”

The K&N Series will take the green flag next at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday, September 23rd as part of the big Sprint Cup weekend. MacDonald has also been invited to participate in the American Canadian Tour Invitational that same weekend.

Speed Channel will air the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 on Thursday, September 15 at 7 PM.

News & Notes: Labor Day Date In Greenville - HERE

K&N Pro Series East Resumes Schedule In South Carolina
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to historic Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway for the second time in 2011 on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.

The second event of the year for NASCAR’s top development series at one of its longest-standing sanctioned facilities was scheduled on Labor Day weekend to tie in with the popular South Carolina State Fair, and in the process the race will sit squarely in the middle of a late-season points battle.

Following a six-week break in the schedule following the last event at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway on July 23, Max Gresham will look to the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 at Greenville Pickens as an opportunity to get one step closer to the championship.

Race Notes
Racing on a Monday:  The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 is believed to be the first race in the 25-year history of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East to be originally-scheduled to run on a Monday.

Second event at GPS: The K&N Pro Series East has gone to Greenville Pickens Speedway each year since 2006, but this will mark the first time that the half mile has played host to the series twice in the same season. This will also be the first of the seven all-time events scheduled for 140 laps.

Statistical Advance: Whitiker Chevrolet 140 - HERE
Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
•  Has six wins, two poles and 60 top 10s in 141 career NKNPS East starts.
•  Is eighth in the standings with four top 10s.
•  Has an average finish of 11th and a best effort of third in five career starts at GPS.
•  The longest-tenured driver on the pre-entry list. This is his 11th year in the series.
 
LIVE: K&N East At GREENVILLE  - HERE
For the Event Schedule, Entry List, Practices, Qualifying, Lap by Lap, & Results
 

The Late Model
All-Star Challenge
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
 Loudon, NH
 Fri./Sat. August 12th/13th
EDDIE NEARLY COMPLETES THE SWEEP
After posting two impressive wins in the ACT All-Star Challenge at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Eddie fell 14 laps shy of winning the final segment when an ignition problem ended his run for the title. The Hancock Electric Pontiac started 35th after the first 36 cars were inverted for the final 50 lap segment. Eddie won the first 25 lap feature Saturday morning then lined up 35th when one car could not take the green flag for the 6:30 p.m. start.

Eddie moved through the pack into 14th place by lap 17, and then set his sights on the lead saying, “The car was really fast and I was able to pick my way through the field. I saw Brian (Hoar) on the move and knew we were going to be racing at the end. At least I thought we were. I was able to drive the car anywhere it was so good.”

Eddie raced to the lead on the 23rd circuit and appeared headed for his second ACT win at the “Magic Mile” after winning the inaugural ACT Invitational two years ago. “I knew Brian was close behind me and it seemed we were both saving our stuff for the end. We were making our way through some lapped traffic and gearing up for the final laps. I knew he would be coming but my car felt great so I felt we had something for the end. I was getting ready for the restart with 14 laps to go when the motor stalled going into turn one. It would not re-fire and we ended up getting pushed in and that was it. It really stinks that something like the ignition put us out. We almost had it but that’s just racing. We had great runs in the heat and the first segment then almost finished it off but it was not meant to be.”

“We will be back for another shot at it in September. I want to say thanks to Kenny Thompson from Hancock Electric for all his support this season. Hopefully we can get him the win next time we are here. Congratulations to Brian and his team for their win and hope we have a chance to race him for the win again in September,” said Eddie.
Photos by Richard Casey
EDDIE WINS SEGMENT #1
Eddie has taken the win in Saturday mornings first 25 lap segment. The #17 was a few car lengths ahead of Brian Hoad but almost a full straightaway ahead of Tom Carey, Joey Laquerre and Austin Theirault in 3rd through 5th.

With the massive invert, Eddie will now start in 36th for the second segment at 6:30 PM today.
EDDIE WINS POLE IN ACT RACE AT NHMS
By Richard Casey - Eddie, Rollie and the crew established themselves as the team to beat with a spectacular qualifying run to take the pole position for the third ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Eddie will be looking to win for the second time in three years after winning the first ever ACT race at the “Magic Mile.”

Eddie started 15th in the second heat of the day and raced to the lead on the 12th lap of the 20 lap qualifying heat. The Grimm Construction/NEMO Pontiac was able to hold off all contenders to take the checkered flag with a +14 finish, which was good enough to take the pole. The ACT Tour uses a plus/minus system to determine starting positions.

Eddie said after the run, “The car was really good and fast and with the level of completion here this weekend we will have to be even better tomorrow. It really feels good to start on the pole because it means everyone is doing a great job on this car.”

The first 25 laps will be run at 10:30 Saturday morning, and then the final 50 laps will be run at 6:30 in the evening. To complicate matters the first 36 cars will be inverted for the final 50 laps with Eddie saying, “It will be difficult for the top guys, and I hope I am one, to come from the back to challenge for the win in 50 laps. It may sound easy but there are a lot of good cars so the leaders will need to pass to get to the front. We will do our best to win the first segment then take our chances over the final 50 laps. It will be a tough day but it will also be a fun day.”
Photos by Richard Casey

OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY
SUN. JULY 24TH		 4th at the 250
Flying back from the K & N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway Saturday night, Eddie Mac strapped in Sunday morning in pursuit of three consecutive Oxford 250 wins.

Eddie started in 26th after winning Consi #2.
Delaying his tire stop to lap 179, Eddie raced up to 4th as Cup star Kyle Busch took the win.
Follow the action at Speed51 Trackside HERE
Photos by Chris Roy
The JEGS 150

 Columbus Motor Speedway
 Columbus, OH
Sat. July, 23rd
EDDIE 10TH AFTER STARTING 13TH

News & Notes: Inaugural Race At Columbus - HERE

First Trip for K&N East To Famed Buckeye State Third-Mile
 

Statistical Advance: Jegs 150 - HERE
Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
•  Has six wins, two poles and 59 top 10s in 140 career NKNPS East starts.
•  Is eighth in the standings with three top 10s.
•  The longest-tenured driver on the pre-entry list. This is his 11th year in the series.
 
LIVE: K&N East At NHMS  - HERE
For the Event Schedule, Entry List, Practices, Qualifying, Lap by Lap, & Results
The New England 125

New Hampshire Motor Speedway
 Loudon, NH
 Fri. July, 15th
 
PENALTY COSTLY FOR MACDONALD
at NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Eddie MacDonald and the Grimm Racing team rebounded from a blown motor in practice on Thursday for the K&N Pro Series East New England 125 at NHMS but could not overcome a late race penalty to finish in ninth place on Friday.

The NEMO-New England Mechanical Overlay Chevy ran in the fourth position when a lap 78 caution gave MacDonald the opportunity to pit for four new tires and return to the track as the last car on the lead lap. When the green flag waved, MacDonald was penalized for an improper line-up forcing a drive-through penalty. The Grimm Construction Chevy returned to the track in the 28th position one lap down. The #71 quickly passed the leader Brett Moffitt to get the lap back and began a charge to the front but ran out of laps.

A series of errors appear to have contributed to the penalty. The new scoreboard did not post the running order, the computer generated listing of positions was not working, and notice of position was not received by the team. Consequently MacDonald was penalized for passing four cars on the back stretch before the green flag was shown.

“We knew we had to start at the tail of the longest line but we did not get any information so I just started next to the #85,” said a very confused MacDonald after the race. “After changing the motor and fighting our way to the front then have the penalty called on us was really disappointing. I thought we were in the right spot so it was a real surprise when it happened.”

“The thing that was so frustrating was that I had no tools to tell Eddie where to start,” said crew chief Rollie LaChance. “Without the scoreboard and with the computer down, we did not know where to go. It was unfortunate because we definitely had a top five car and who knows what could have happened at the end.”

The weekend started on a sour note when a rod blew through the block halfway through the first practice while MacDonald was running twelfth. A decision was made not to attempt to replace the motor in time for qualifying but to focus of getting everything right for the race on Friday. The move proved to be the right one as MacDonald fought his way from his provisional 33rd place start on the grid and into fourth before the ill-fated penalty.

MacDonald was running 16th then pitted for fuel and fender repair on a lap 46 caution with the veteran racer saying, “The car was really good and we were in a good position running fifth and hoping to get another caution around lap 75 so we could take on the new tires. We got exactly what we wanted with the caution on lap 78 were ready to contend for the win. I know we had a top five car at least and it would have been fun to see what we could have done at the end but it was not to be. I don’t know if we could have challenged for the win but I think we could have had a shot. This team worked so hard to get us ready and I am really thankful for all the effort. It was a tough finish but what can you say other than we will get them next time.”

Even after the disappointing finish LaChance said, “I was really happy with the car. We did not get any laps on it but it ran great. I know we had something for them at the end. The crew worked great getting the new motor in and setting the car up to run so well.”

MacDonald did receive the “COCA COLA Move of the Race Award” for passing the most cars from his starting position. With the ninth place finish, the team moved up one spot to eighth in the points race.

The team will race next in the inaugural Jegs 150 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 23. The NHMS race can be seen on Speed on August 4 at 6 PM.
 
LIVE: K&N East At NHMS  - HERE
 For the Event Schedule, Entry List, Practices, Qualifying, Lap by Lap, & Results
 
         
         
Photos by Chris Roy 
 
. 
Photos by Richard Casey
 

News & Notes: East Heads To Loudon - HERE

New England 125 Up Next After Month Break

25 For 25
The 2011 season is the 25th in series history. From its days as the Busch North Series, to the present-day NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, there are countless moments that have come to define the series. Each week we will take a look back at those moments and figures that have defined the series.

New England’s Home Track:  The New England 125 will be the 55th running of the K&N Pro Series East at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Although the K&N Pro Series East was in its fourth year before it went to Loudon for the first time, NHMS has become the home track of the series through the years. The 54 previous events since 1990 are 20 more than any other track has played host to.

The first NASCAR event at NHMS was the Budweiser 300 on July 15, 1990, a NASCAR Nationwide Series race that included 10 K&N Pro Series East drivers that ran in combination. There were a total of nine combination races at NHMS from 1990-95. The highlight of those nine events came in 1991 when Ricky Craven took the checkered flag as a representative of the K&N Pro Series East.

The inaugural K&N Pro Series East stand-alone race, the Peak Antifreeze 125, took place on Sept. 2, 1990 and was won by Mike McLaughlin. McLaughlin, who also won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race that same day, went on to earn three more East wins at the ‘Magic Mile.’ Since McLaughlin’s historic first triumph, 22 other drivers have found Victory Lane on the series’ biggest stage through the years.

Brad Leighton proved to be the master of the ‘Magic Mile’ during his decorated career. From Center Harbor, N.H., Leighton took the checkered flag at his home track eight times. The winningest driver in K&N Pro Series history, Kelly Moore was also no stranger to success at NHMS with five triumphs. And the track’s winningest driver across all series, Ted Christopher nabbed five of his 10 total East career wins there.

Loudon attracts a crowd:  A season-high 43 entries – the most at NHMS since June, 2007 – have been received for the New England 125, including a number of drivers that hope to make their first start of 2011. Jeff Anton, Keith Flach, Joey Polewarczyk and Jonathan Smith will make their first appearance of the year. Late Model drivers Jimmy Weller and Corey Williams will attempt to make their K&N Pro Series East debut along with Spencer Gallagher, who has made for K&N Pro Series West appearances this year. One of the biggest events of the year, the New England 125 has also attracted the prominent part-time drivers like Travis Pastrana and Andrew Ranger.
'

Statistical Advance: New England 125 - HERE
 The 55th running of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is set for Friday, July 15 in Loudon, NH.

Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
•  Has six wins, two poles and 58 top 10s in 139 career NKNPS East starts.
•  Is ninth in the standings with a pair of top 10s.
•  Has three wins, nine top 10s and an average finish of 18th in 21 career starts at NHMS.
•  The longest-tenured driver on the pre-entry list. This is his 11th year in the series.
.
'
VisitHamptonVA 175

Langley Speedway
 Hampton, VA
Sat. June 18th
THIRTEENTH PLACE FINISH FOR EDDIE AT LANGLEY
The K&N Pro Series East began the second half of the season in the VisitHamptonVa 175 at Langley Speedway in Virginia where the Grimm Construction Chevy posted a disappointing 13th place finish on the .396 oval. For the previous three races the team had satisfying runs and was confident for a solid finish.

“We are disappointed with our run today. We thought we had turned the corner and were headed in the right direction with our last three races,” said Eddie MacDonald before continuing, “We missed the set up today and the car just stayed real loose for the whole race. We tried to tighten it up with a couple of pit stops but the car remained real loose coming off the turns. I tried a number of different lines but it just didn’t work out.”

The team posted the eighth practice time (16.798 sec.-84.867 mph.) at the beginning of the first practice but a suspected brake issue forced the car to the pits after running only six laps. “The pedal was just real low and we thought the rotor was warped but it turned out to be the hub was actually bent. Of course the hauler was parked outside the track so we lost the entire first practice before we could get the part and put it in for the second practice. But losing that whole first practice hurt us because we never got to try the different shock and spring packages we had scheduled.”

MacDonald posted the 15th fastest time in the second practice then scored an 11th place qualifying position (16.646 sec.-85.642). When the green flag waved MacDonald made a strong move forward and by lap 16 the Grimm Chevy was in ninth and into eighth on lap 42 but lost a few positions when the car started sliding up the track with the veteran driver saying, “It was a little free in the center of the turn and it was real loose coming off so I tried to drop down to the bottom of the track near the entrance to pit road but there was a big dip down there that just bottomed the car out and sent it sailing up the track. I had to get close to that line though if I had any chance of keeping it on the bottom and not lose any more positions.”

The crew worked on the car a during two stops during a lap 118 caution then restarted 17th before making it back to the 13th spot on the grid by the lap 143 caution flag. A lapped car almost ended the night for the frustrated team as it careened up into the #71 off turn one and causing a severely damaged left front fender. MacDonald managed to drive the car the rest of the way but was unable to pass because of the damage to take the checkered flag in the 13th position.

“We really expected better especially after the last three races. It was unfortunate we missed it but I have to thank Rollie and the whole crew for all their hard work. These last three weeks have been tough on everyone with all the travel and getting the cars ready at the shop for the next race. We are a volunteer crew so these guys all have full time jobs and families so we appreciate everything they do for us. It is a big sacrifice and commitment for everyone involved with this team. The weather here was brutally hot and the guys worked their tails off in the heat and I am thankful for all the effort. It will be so nice for everyone with the next race at Loudon. We have had a lot of success there and it is close to home so we will definitely enjoy that race.”

Speed Channel will air the VisitHamptonVa 175 on Thursday, June 30 at 6 p.m. The next K&N race will be at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday July 15, at 5 p.m. Practice and qualifying will take place on Thursday.
Photos by Richard Casey
Hometracks News & Notes: Inaugural Event At Langley - HERE
NASCAR HOMETRACKS - DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A season of firsts for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will continue with the inaugural VisitHamptonVA 175 at Langley Speedway on Saturday, June 18.

Langley will be the third of four tracks to play host to NASCAR’s top developmental series for the first time in 2011. While NASCAR stock cars have a long and storied history at the costal Virginia oval, Saturday’s event will be yet another milestone for both series and track.  FULL STORY HERE
'
LIVE: K&N East At Lanley  - HERE
 For the Event Schedule, Entry List, Practices, Qualifying, Lap by Lap, & Results
'

Statistical Advance: VisitHamptonVA 175 - HERE
Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
•  Has six wins, two poles and 58 top 10s in 135 career NKNPS East starts.
•  Is up to a season-high sixth in the standings with a pair of top 10s.
•  The longest-tenured driver on the pre-entry list. This is his 11th year in the series.
Active Career Wins Leaders
1. Eddie MacDonald ... 6
   Brett Moffitt ... 6
   Dale Quarterley ... 6
4. Matt DiBenedetto ... 3
   Max Gresham ... 3
   Darrell Wallace Jr. ... 3
The Slack Auto Parts 150

 Gresham Motorsports Park
Jefferson, GA
Sat. June 11th - 8:30 PM		 
 EDDIE FINISHES SIXTH AT GRESHAM
Eddie MacDonald survived an early spin to claim the sixth place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia. The run vaulted the team into sixth place in the point's race with six races remaining. A three hour rain delay pushed the green flag starting time to 11 pm. for the Slack Auto Parts 150 for the 30-car grid on the half-mile oval.

The Grimm Construction Chevy qualified in the 20th position (17.698 sec,-101.706 mph) with the veteran driver saying, "We obviously wanted to start near the front but we knew the car was fast and would be there at the end. We were fifth fastest in the first practice and then made changes for the second practice (13th fastest), so we knew we the car was handling well. Our plan was just to take what we could get and be patient. Unfortunately, I was the one that messed up that strategy."

When the green flag waved, MacDonald was content to drive around early but then brought out the first caution saying, "I just lost it in the fourth turn and spun it all by myself. I did the same thing last year in the same turn but luckily no one hit me this year. We were able to continue but I'm sure the spin flat-spotted the tires otherwise I think we could have had an even better finish."

By lap 83 MacDonald was riding 11th in the field and into seventh with only 30 laps to go. When the final caution flag of the night waved on lap 143 (6 cautions for 32 laps), the race would be decided with another green/white/checker finish for the second week in a row. With cars running out of fuel, Eddie Mac decided the safe thing to do would be to conserve as much as possible for the final laps saying, "We were surprised that cars were running out, so I ran on the bottom of the track with the clutch in just in case we were low. I didn't heat up the tires or anything so when the green flag flew all the guys who were conserving slid up the track. Guys who heated the tires like Andrew Smith were able to stick in the corner and make the pass."

MacDonald said of the sixth place finish, "Of course we would have liked to finish in the top five but we will take this. We had a third place at Iowa, then we should have had a second or third place finish last week at Bowman Gray that was taken away from us by a scoring glitch that also cost us a destroyed racecar. This week's run was the third strong effort and was really good for the team heading into the second half of the season. I had a lot of fun out there tonight especially racing with Andrew Smith. We have become friends this season and we race each other hard but clean. We didn't have anything for the leaders tonight but we are sure heading in the right direction. We should have a lot of fun at Langley next week. It has been a tough stretch with three races in three weeks but we will be ready for Saturday."

The K&N Series will make its first appearance at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va. On Saturday, June 18 at 6 p.m. in the VisitHamptonVa 175.

The Slack Auto Parts 150 at Gresham can be seen on Speed Channel on Thursday at 6 PM.
 

News & Notes: East Schedule Speeds Up - HERE
Fast Track Will Be Second Of Three-Consecutive Race Weeks

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East is headed to Georgia for the second year in a row with the Slack Auto Parts 150 on Saturday, June 11 at Gresham Motorsports Park.

The recently-renovated facility in Jefferson, Ga., welcomed the K&N Pro Series East for the first time in August 2010. After a wild race that saw Ty Dillon escape with the victory, the track announced soon after that they would bring NASCAR’s top developmental series for a return engagement at the fast half mile.

Dillon, pole winner Kevin Swindell and late-race leader Ryan Truex will not be at Gresham this week, leaving the door open for a whole new group to contend for the checkered flag, and there will be plenty of candidates. The season’s first five events have produced four different race winners from three different teams.

Like when Brett Moffitt competed at Iowa Speedway in May, Max Gresham will have the pressure this week to capture the checkers at his home track. Gresham’s father, Tony, is a track administrator while his grandfather, Jim, owns the facility. And like Moffitt, he’ll look to celebrate in Victory Lane in front of the hometown crowd. Gresham finished 12th in last year’s event.

Gresham will have plenty of competition for the win as the 2011 season has proved to be very competitive with just 100 points separating the top six in the standings. Three of those positions belong to X Team Racing, which earned its first win last week at Bowman Gray Stadium with Matt DiBenedetto. Moffitt will also look to bounce back from an incident at Bowman Gray that dropped him from the championship lead to 34 points out. Full Story HERE

LIVE: K&N East At Gresham - HERE
For the Event Schedule, Entry List, Practices, Qualifying,
Lap by Lap, and Results

Sat. June 4th - 8 PM		 The Army Strong 150

Bowman Gray Stadium
Winston-Salem, NC
LAST LAP WRECK COSTS EDDIE MACDONALD

For over 100 laps Eddie MacDonald ran in the top five in the Army Strong 150 K&N Pro Series East race at Bowman Gray Stadium before a wreck on the last lap produced a 13th place finish. The Grimm Construction Chevy had to battle from a 21st starting position on the tight flat quarter mile oval to run in the fifth spot by lap 38.

“This is so disappointing because we had such a great car and looked like we were going to have another good finish two races in a row (a third place finish in Iowa),” said MacDonald. “We really started out in a bad spot because the car bottomed out in qualifying but I was able to miss the wrecks in front and move up through the pack. The car really handled well and we needed it to be because this is a tough place to get around. After driving a bunch of short tracks at home, we know you have to be patient because we knew there would be a lot of cautions so we just planned to take advantage when we could. We did that tonight but we didn’t get the finish we wanted.”

MacDonald moved into fourth by lap 85 and into the third position by lap 97. “I knew we had something for the leaders and Corey LaJoie and I had a great battle for second place. It is really tough to pass here so you had to be really careful where and when you made your move. When DiBennedetto and LaJoie started fighting for first with about 15 laps to go, I thought I was in a good position if they took each other out but it didn’t happen. Instead, I was the one taken out.”

On a lap 147 restart of the scheduled 150 laps, MacDonald started on the inside third position and before a single lap was completed, the 15th yellow flag waved (for 87 laps) forcing a green/white checker finish. MacDonald was told to line up fourth and the veteran driver was fuming saying, “I don’t know how we lost the third spot when a single lap wasn’t even completed. The next thing I knew was NASCAR telling me to line up fourth on the outside while they moved Kennedy into the third spot.  It wasn’t right what happened. The outside was not the place to be especially on a G/W/C finish.”

On the restart MacDonald’s car sailed into the outside fence in turn three coming to the white flag. “I just don’t know if we had some help or if I just drove it in too hard and it wheel hopped but we ended up wrecking a good car that was in pretty good shape for 149 laps. We were able to keep going but I lost a bunch of positions. I really feel bad for everyone involved. I will have to look at the film to see if I can figure out what happened at the end. I know we definitely had a third place car tonight but it was not to be and it is frustrating for Rollie, the crew, Rob Grimm and all our fans. We had a great run in Iowa and we were looking to back it up with another good run tonight. We didn’t need or deserve this. We will be back next week at Gresham.”

The Bowman Gray race will air on Speed on Thursday, June 9 at 6 pm.

The next race for the K&N Pro Series East will be held at Gresham Motorsports Park on June 11 in Jefferson, Georgia.

 
EDDIE 13TH after wrecking out of third place while coming to the white flag of the green-white-checker in an action packed race. Eddie started in 21st.  RESULTS HERE 
 
NASCAR HOME TRACKS - DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR stock car touring racing will return to historic Bowman Gray Stadium for the first time in 15 years with the Army Strong 150 as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East makes its debut at the venerable quarter mile on Saturday, June 4.

With a NASCAR sanction that dates to 1949 – the longest association running – Bowman Gray overflows with history. The flat track played host to 29 races from 1958-71 for what is now known as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The winners list from those events includes NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson, David Pearson and Richard Petty.

While the track’s relationship goes back to the beginning, the Army Strong 150 will mark the first time in a decade and a half that a NASCAR stock car touring series has visited ‘The Madhouse.’ The last was a NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series event on July 27, 1996 that saw Darryl Murray take the checkered flag.

The main stronghold of open wheel Modified racing in the south for decades, Bowman Gray has welcomed the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour since 2005.
 
News & Notes: First East Trip To The Stadium  HERE
 
Statistical Advance: Army Strong 150  HERE
Analyzing The K&N Pro Series East At Bowman Gray Stadium


Iowa Speedway
 Newton, IA
 Sat. May 21st
EDDIE TAKES 3rd in IOWA E/W COMBO
Brett Moffit is 1st & Max Gresham 2nd - Greg Pursley 4th & David Mayhew 5th
Eddie MacDonald and the Grimm Racing Team finished third in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series Pork ‘Be Inspired’ 175 at Iowa Speedway. For the fifth year in a row, this race pits the best of the East and West Series drivers against each other for bragging rights. MacDonald’s finish is the team’s best this season on the fast seven-eighths of a mile oval. The run catapulted MacDonald into the eighth position in the point’s race.

“I am really pleased with our run here. We finished seventh last year and I had a good feeling we were going to contend this year,” said the Rowley, Mass. driver. “The team has worked so hard but we had a tough start to the season, so this is a great boost to us knowing we can race and challenge for wins. It is easy to get down on yourself when things don’t go according to plan, but this team never gives up and today proved that. Now we can carry this momentum through the rest of the season. We are looking forward to Bowman Gray because we usually do well on short flat tracks. Everyone is excited and that is exactly what we need.”

After only posting the 20th fastest time in practice, MacDonald drove the Grimm Construction Chevy to a tenth place qualifying run saying, “We never seem to post real fast times in practice (24.710 sec.-127.479 mph) yet we really step it up in qualifying (24.143 sec-130.473 mph) so we were very pleased to start in tenth. This was such a tough field with the West guys here; it was quite an accomplishment to run so well. Rollie had a great set-up and the guys had the car race ready.”

For the first 65 laps of the 175 lap race, MacDonald ran comfortably in the 10-14 position before moving up through the field as he passed underneath Darrell Wallace Jr. on lap 83 to take over the eighth spot while holding off West series driver and point leader Greg Pursley and into sixth by lap 89. MacDonald restarted 14th after pitting during a lap 91 caution flag but quickly began another march to the front. It did not take long for the #7 Grimm Chevy to break into the top five and by lap 112, Eddie Mac ran fourth and in third by lap 130. Eddie Mac took the second spot on lap 164 from Gresham but gave it back four laps later. (Because it was a combination race, numbers were assigned according to point standings in each series so the Grimm Chevy ran the #7 instead of the familiar #71.)

Last year’s winner Max Gresham rode in second place as he and MacDonald raced nose to tail and side by side for the remainder of the race with MacDonald saying, “Max and I had a lot of fun racing each other. If he made a mistake I could get by him, then when I made a mistake he would get by me. We raced each other hard and clean so it was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, my car started getting real tight near the end and we had to settle for third but as I said this was the finish we needed to get back on a positive note for the rest of the season.”

Before the trip even began, the team experienced a problem with the hauler that required the team to borrow Dale Shaw’s rig for the ride to Iowa. “We were really in a bind but Dale bailed us out letting us use their hauler and we can’t thank him and D.J. enough for their help. We are competitors on the track but we are always friends and this is just another example of racing people helping each other.”

Fans can watch the Iowa Speedway replay on Speed on June 2, at 6 p.m. The team will have a busy June with three races slated with the first at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston Salem, North Carolina on June 4.
NASCAR HOME TRACKS - News & Notes: HERE
 K&N East West Meet In Iowa
 Chance for newcomers to showcase talent in combination race
 .

Statistical Advance: Pork 'Be Inspired' 175: HERE
.
 Follow Practice, Qualifying, & Race "Lap by Lap": HERE
The Blue Ox 100

 Richmond Int'l Raceway
Richmond, VA
Thurs. April 28th
 
EDDIE SCORES A FOURTEENTH AT RICHMOND
The K&N Pro Series East made its inaugural trip to Richmond International Raceway as part of the big NASCAR Cup weekend that featured the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, the Nationwide Series, as well as the Sprint Cup. All 38 teams that entered for the K&N Blue Ox 100 took the green flag for 75 laps over the three-quarter high-banked oval. MacDonald started 11th on the grid and was able to finish in the fourteenth position despite some first time obstacles.

“Obviously we wanted to have a better finish than we did but it was tough with a new car on a new track,” said the veteran driver before adding. “We just bought the car from Braun Racing in the Nationwide Series and we had to make a number of changes for it to be legal in our series, so we did not have time to test the car before bringing it to Richmond. Also, it was the first time we had ever even seen the track so those two things worked against us. I’m not trying to make excuses but the reality is it would have been really difficult to race those guys for a top five or ten finish. Most of those teams tested at Richmond and that makes a huge difference.”

MacDonald qualified the Grimm Construction Chevy in 11th position and that was after some tense moments in the garage. The K&N was scheduled for two practice sessions with a thirty minute break in between. However a rain storm passed over the track and officials decided to combine the two practices after a brief delay. The Grimm Racing Team had already committed to changing the gear and lost considerable practice time in the pits. As a result, MacDonald scored 23rd fastest of the 38 cars to participate in the abbreviated session.

“Missing out on that time really hurt us but we managed to pick up six tenths so we knew we were headed in the right direction,” said MacDonald before continuing. “Unfortunately we ran out of practice time before we had the opportunity to try what we wanted to do. We qualified well considering everything that happened and we wanted hold our position during the race, then take advantage when we could.”

MacDonald was running in the twelfth position when the rain began to fall on lap 22. After riding around under caution for seven laps, track officials brought the cars down pit road for what resulted in an hour and forty-eight minute delay. When racing resumed on lap 40, MacDonald lost a few positions when the handling in the turns became a problem.

“We were tight in the turns and we lost a number of positions with the car then so loose coming out, especially in turn two. You have so much speed going into turn one you really have to use the brakes and with the car not turning well it left us open for guys to pass on the bottom exiting the turn when I couldn’t hold it on the bottom. We were able to salvage a 14th place run and we learned quite a bit about the car and it came home in one piece. This was a tough race to concentrate on with all the death from the twisters. It was sad to realize that so many people lost their lives in these storms. The twisters were all around us and that is something the people from the Northeast don’t have to deal with. So it was tough for us to concentrate on a race knowing what was happening. Now we just have to go back to the shop and focus on getting ready for Iowa in a few weeks and try to turn things around.”

The K&N Pro Series East will compete in a combination race at Iowa on May 21 against the West drivers.
14th Place Finish inThe Blue Ox 100 - Official Finish HERE
 Qualifying: Eddie posted a 22.395 for 11th quickest.
Photos by Richard Casey
NASCAR HOME TRACKS - Blue Ox 100 Page & Lap by Lap:  HERE

NASCAR HOME TRACKS - Blue Ox 100 Statistical Advance:  HERE

RICHMOND Welcomes 1st K&N East - News and Notes:  HERE

 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East History:  HERE

2011 NASCAR K&N EAST SERIES SCHEDULE ON SPEED
Event Date-----------Broadcast Date---------------Track
Saturday, April 2 -- Thursday, April 28 -- Greenville Pickens Speedway
 Saturday, April 16 -- Thursday, May 12 -- South Boston Speedway
Thursday, April 28 -- Thursday, May 19 -- Richmond Int'l Raceway
Saturday, May 21 -- Thursday, June 2 -- Iowa Speedway - Combo
Saturday, June 4 -- Thursday, June 9 -- Bowman Gray Stadium
Saturday, June 11 -- Thursday, June 16 -- Gresham Motorsports Park
Saturday, June 18 -- Thursday, June 30 -- Langley Speedway
Friday, July 15 -- Thursday, July 28 -- New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Saturday, July 23 -- Thursday, Aug. 4 -- Columbus Motor Speedway
Monday, Sept. 5 -- Thursday, Sept. 15 -- Greenville Pickens Speedway
Friday, Sept. 23 -- Thursday, Sept. 29 -- New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Friday, Sept. 30 -- Thursday, Oct. 6 -- Dover International Speedway

“Double Header” with the NASCAR
Whelen Southern Modified Tour 		The South Boston 150

 South Boston Speedway
South Boston, VA
Sat. April 16th
TOUGH FINISH FOR EDDIE AT SOUTH BOSTON
Eddie MacDonald and the Grimm Racing Team’s 19th place finish in the K&N Pro Series East race in the South Boston 150 was a disappointment for the driver who was sixth fastest in practice and ran steadily in the top ten for most of the event. MacDonald completed the race two laps down when black flagged by officials for nose damage late in the race.

The #71 Grimm Construction Chevy was running eighth on a lap 117 restart when the trouble began according to MacDonald, “The #16 slammed into the rear of my car on the restart knocking me sideways. He then drove under me and the #60 made it three wide on the outside. When we got to the turn one I started to back out when the other two pinched me in causing the nose to buckle. Then they slammed into each other but the damage was already done to my car. We were not great but we had a top ten car. Then we got called in to fix the nose and that cost us two laps. I didn’t think the damage was bad enough to get black flagged especially since we were running in the top ten with not that many laps to go.”

In the first practice MacDonald posted the sixth fastest time but ended up qualifying fourteenth saying, “The car was good during practice and I was very happy with it. We were a little late getting to tech and then got held up there and we were qualifying early so we didn’t even have time to make air pressure adjustments before hitting the track. We had our race pressures in the tires so obviously we were not going to qualify well. We were okay starting fourteenth since we knew we would move up through the pack and we did.”

By lap 17 MacDonald moved into the eleventh position then ran in the tenth spot from lap 35 to lap 85. A lap 115 caution found MacDonald running in eighth with a top five finish in his sights but it was not to be saying, “The car was okay and we were in a position to move up in the closing laps but our day, and car, got ruined through no fault of our own. I hate it for the team who works so hard and Rob Grimm, our owner, to have to bring in a wrecked car and a lousy finish. We knew we did not have the car to compete for the win but we knew we had a shot at a good finish and that was taken from us.”

The K&N Pro Series East will travel to Richmond International Speedway for its inaugural race as part of the NASCAR Cup weekend with the race taking the green flag on Thursday, April 28.
-
NASCAR HOME TRACKS - Race Page & Results - 19th place:  HERE

NASCAR HOME TRACKS - SOBO Statistical Advance:  HERE

SOBO 150 News and Notes:  HERE

 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East History:  HERE
www.wbspenguins.com
K&N PRO SERIES EAST SEASON OPENER
The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150

 Greenville-Pickens Speedway
 Greenville, SC
Sat. April 2nd
MACDONALD FINISHES FOURTEENTH AT GREENVILLE
The much anticipated K&N Pro Series East season opener took the green flag in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville Pickens Speedway after a week’s rain delay yet the outcome was not the anticipated one for Eddie MacDonald and the Grimm Racing Team. The series veteran fought a loose handling racecar for much of the race hanging on for the 14th spot when the checker flag flew.

“The car was so loose at the end, I felt like I was dirt-tracking in the turns. The car was really good early in the race and we were moving forward for the first forty laps but then it just kept getting worse,” said MacDonald after the race.

After running fifth in the first practice, the Rowley driver felt like the car would be good saying, “When we went out for the first practice everything felt great. We had speed and the car was turning well in the corners. We tried some different stuff in the second practice but we went back to our first set up for qualifying. We qualified tenth but it was the fastest lap we had turned there (20.857 sec. 86.302 mph) but we thought we would be good for the long run. It is a long race so we were just going to take it easy at first, take what we could get and save the tires for the end. It was a good plan but it didn’t turn out that way.”

When the green flag waved, the Grimm Racing Chevrolet immediately moved up two spots and by lap 50, MacDonald was riding in the sixth position when the car started losing grip. “ I was racing along with Gresham and Ranstrom for most of the laps but then the car started sliding out from under me in the corners. Those new teams from the south were so fast we started losing a lot of ground. It got so bad I was lucky to hold onto it. We just missed something. We thought we had a pretty good car after what we saw in the first practice and from what we had learned during our test day, so we were confident we would be there at the end of the race.”

Despite the ill-handling racecar, MacDonald rode in the ninth position with ten laps to go but just couldn’t hang on to the spot saying, “I was so loose in the turns the other guys just kept banging off me to get by. The only good thing about the night was the composite body came out of everything in pretty good shape. We really expected a lot more tonight than what we got. We built this car from the ground up and all the guys have worked really hard on it so it was disappointing to have the finish we did. We just have to move on to the next race at South Boston. We had a great test day there so hopefully we will have a much better finish.”

The K&N Pro Series East will travel to South Boston Speedway for the April 16 running of the South Boston 150.
Trackside Now Coverage at Speed51.com   Results Here
NASCAR HOME TRACKS - Stat Advance: Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 PAGE HERE
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 25th season of competition for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will commence with the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on Saturday, March 26.

Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Chevrolet)
• Has six wins, two poles and 56 top 10s in 131 career NKNPS East starts.
• Has an average finish of 11th in four starts at GPS with a best effort of third in 2009.
• The longest-tenured driver on the pre-entry list, this will be his 11th year in the series.

 Up to Speed:
• The 2011 season will be the 25th for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The inaugural event was a combination race with the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Darlington Raceway on March 28, 1987. The first stand-alone race was held at Oxford Plains Speedway on April 26.
• There will not be a title defense in 2011 as Ryan Truex – the 2009 and 2010 champion – has moved up to the NNS with Pastrana-Waltrip Racing. Last year’s championship runner-up, Brett Moffitt, has moved from Joe Gibbs Racing to take over for Truex at Michael Waltrip Racing.
• Six of the top 10 finishers in the 2010 season standings will return full-time in 2011. Two of the four not returning, Truex and Cole Whitt, moved up to national series rides.
 • New to the 2011 NKNPS East schedule is the inaugural stand-alone race for the series at Richmond International Raceway and the first trips to historical NASCAR weekly tracks Bowman Gray Stadium, Columbus Motor Speedway and Langley Speedway.
• NASCAR lowered the minimum competition age for drivers to 15 across all touring divisions. Chase Elliott will attempt to be the first driver to compete at the age of 15 this weekend at Greenville Pickens Speedway.
GRIMM RACING AND UNOH TEAM UP AGAIN
Test day at Greenville Pickens Speedway on March 10th with help from 3 UNOH students
The Grimm Racing Team and three students from the University of Northwestern Ohio met at the legendary Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina for a day of testing Eddie MacDonald’s car for the K&N Pro Series East season opener at the track on March 26. The scheduled one testing day turned into two when weather forced the team’s return to the half mile oval on Friday March 10.

After an eight hour ride from the University’s campus in Lima, Ohio, Cody Bland from Bloomington, Indiana, Kody Weisner from Muskegon, Michigan, and Kevin Hollenbach from Hillsborough, New Jersey met the Grimm team in Greenville. Last year two of the students worked with the team during the UNOH sponsored event for the K&N series and the Whelen Modifieds at Martinsville.

UNOH’s College of Technologies offers training in its High Performance Motor Sports Department both in the classroom and in the field. President Jeff Jarvis said in an interview last year on the university’s involvement in placing students with race teams, “It’s great for the students because they get hands on experience sitting beside the professional. It is sort of an apprentice type situation that helps them further their career when they move on to get a job as a pit crew member, driver, owner, or whatever their passion may be.”

Team owner Rob Grimm was pleased to continue the association with UNOH saying, ”When we first met with Vice President Steve Farmer to discuss sponsorship our first goal was to stress the importance of using this as a learning experience for the students. We established a commitment to give students the opportunity to work on the car in a professional situation. I could not have been happier with the professional, enthusiasm, and work ethic these students provided that day. I was very pleased we were able to do this again at Greenville. I was not there but I heard reports from Rollie, Eddie, and the crew that the three students were outstanding. We at Grimm Racing are committed to offering young men and women the opportunity to work with us. UNOH excels at preparing students and we hope to continue our relationship with them.”

Even the best plans change rapidly when forces beyond control interrupt the best of them. Shortly after arriving after a long day driving in torrential rain, the “new” team traveled in the hauler for a late night dinner. An air brake failure forced the crew into immediate roadside repairs and it proved to be crew chief’s Rollie LaChance first opportunity to see the UNOH training spring into action. “I was very impressed at the way Cody, Kody, and Kevin joined in to help. It was truly a thing that racer’s do. Instead of throwing up your hands in frustration, these guys just said ‘what do we need to do to get this fixed so we can get to the track?’ That is how racers perform under the most adverse circumstances and I was pleased to see that. It really meant a lot. Another thing that really impressed me was the maturity and professionalism displayed both on and off the track. Sometimes it is easy for young guys to act up when away from their normal environment but these three knew they represented UNOH and Grimm Racing and they did it fabulously. We lost most of the first day to a wet track and decided to stay an extra day to test on Friday. All three jumped at the opportunity to do it all over again the next day and their performance both days was outstanding. I hope we get the chance to work with them again or any other students from UNOH.”

Of course, the driver behind the wheel gets to see what is going on when the car is in the pits and Eddie MacDonald was quick to observe, “I was so pleased with the effort and ability all three guys showed in the pits. Kody, Kevin, and Cody were so well prepared they knew exactly what to do and didn’t need much instruction to get things done. They also had the ability to see what needed to be done next and just did it. The fact that they were willing to stay the extra day really impressed me. These guys just love racing and it showed. I know they will end up with successful careers in whatever form of racing they choose. They did a remarkable job for us and they are a credit to UNOH. I congratulate Jeff Jarvis and Steve Farmer and their faculty for all their hard work. Grimm Racing is here to tell you that it works.”

The K&N Pro Series East opens its twelve race program at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina on March 26.

For more about the university go to UNOH.edu.  Specifically the Motorsports College Web.
 
Photos by Richard Casey

First Night at New Smyrna - Sun. Feb. 13th
Heat: Started 7th - Finished 4th for a +3 Factor
100 Lap Feature: Started 3rd - Ran as high as 2nd - Finished 7th
 Follow at "Speed51 Trackside" 2/13 Here

Second Night at New Smyrna - Mon. Feb. 14th
100 Lap Feature: Started 12th on invert from Sun. finish order - Finished 7th
Goodyear Speedweeks Cup points position: 7th
1. Joey Pole – 6     2. Brian Hoar – 7     3. Mark Lamberton – 7
4. Wayne Helliwell, Jr. – 8    5. Patrick Laperle – 11    6. Jonathan Urlin – 12
7. Eddie MacDonald – 14    8. Karl Allard – 16    9. Patrick Hamel – 21
10. Donald Theetge – 22
 Follow at "Speed51 Trackside" 2/14 Here
EDDIE MACDONALD FINISHED SEVENTH
IN ACT RACE AT NEW SMYRNA
The American Canadian Tour’s first visit to New Smyrna Speedway (NSS) for the Goodyear Speedweeks Cup resulted in an overall seventh place finish for Eddie MacDonald. One hundred lap features were run on Sunday and Monday night, February 13-14, on the fast half mile, high-banked oval track located down the road from Daytona International Speedway.

MacDonald finished in seventh place each night and with a combined total of 14 points, one point for each position, to score seventh in the final standings. This was not what MacDonald had planned for earlier in the week. "I thought on the way down that we would have a better finished than that but with a new car and the problems that go along with the unknown I suppose we did okay. Freddy Peterson from Peabody, Mass. and Peterson Auto Body provided the car for us and I am very thankful to him for letting us drive his car. The car only had a couple of races on it and the first laps we put on it was the first practice on Sunday. We made a ton of changes during the practice but the car was just tight. It is really tough to run a new car on a new track and have everything go your way."

Using the traditional ACT plus-minus point’s system, MacDonald scored a plus 3 in his heat when he passed three cars from his seventh place starting position in the second heat of the night. As a result of the finish, the #17Ma Grimm Construction/Hancock Electric Chevy started third for the first 100 lapper on Sunday night. MacDonald maintained the position until lap 35 when the Rowley, Mass. veteran racer reported an oil leak that made the car very loose in the turns. By lap 61 and running in sixth place, MacDonald told crew chief Rollie LaChance that quite a bit of oil was leaking into the car and causing a vibration. The team decided to stay out and despite the worsening leak, MacDonald was able to take the checkers in seventh place.

The inspection after the race found the bottom of the car and the rear right side tire covered in oil. It had even leaked into the inside of the car covering the passenger side. A call was made to Jim Daley, a car owner from Lee USA Speedway, who has a shop near the track and the car was taken there to replace the engine and transmission. After an all-nighter to make the repairs, the team returned to the track after an hour’s sleep to prepare for Monday’s feature.

"We came down here to race and have a little fun but after working around the clock, everyone on the team was beat. I was really proud of the guys for sucking it up and getting us ready for Monday night’s race. Jim Daley really stepped up to help us. He even sent a couple of his guys down to the track with a truck and small trailer so we didn’t have to load up our hauler and move it. It just shows you how racers help one another. I can’t thank him and his guys enough for everything they did."

With the top twenty of the field inverted for the second 100 lapper, MacDonald started in 14th place and was in ninth place on a lap 24 restart but was drilled in the side by eventual winner Brian Hoar on lap 26 sending him back to 13th. MacDonald said, "That really hurt us. I don’t know why he did that since we were running side by side and heading toward the front. The car was already getting real tight so to lose those positions made it real difficult to make up that ground we lost. We were able to get back up to seventh but that was all we could do."

"This was a great experience to run in the inaugural ACT race here. The track is a lot of fun to drive and I hope we are able to do it again. The ACT guys always put on a great show and it seems like the fans really enjoyed our style of racing. Our team couldn’t have done this without Freddy Peterson, Rob Grimm, our K&N Pro Series East car owner, and Kenny Thompson from Hancock Electric in Quincy, Mass.

Thanks again to those guys and especially to the crew that worked so hard to make this possible I hope we get another shot at this next year," said MacDonald.
EDDIE MACDONALD PREPARED FOR SEASON OPENER

Eddie MacDonald will kick off the 2011 racing season when he takes the green flag in the inaugural American Canadian Tour’s Goodyear Speedweeks Cup at New Smyrna Speedway this February 13-14. The #17 MA will compete in both 100 lap events on the fast half-mile speedway over the two day schedule with crew chief Rollie LaChance at the helm.

MacDonald and LaChance won the inaugural ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2009 and would like nothing better to start this season off with the big Florida win with MacDonald saying, "When this race was announced we were so busy preparing cars for the K&N Pro Series East season we just knew we had to make time to race at New Smyrna. This is a great opportunity for the team to have some fun in the warm weather after all the hard work we put in this winter. But we are definitely going there to win."

The team has been very successful competing on a limited schedule when not racing in the K&N events. MacDonald became only the fourth driver to win back-to-back TD Bank 250’s at Oxford Plains Speedway this past season. "We have a ball racing the late model in the ACT races and at Oxford. The drivers and teams are a bunch of great people and are always competitive. To win against those guys you really have a great car and a lot of luck. For most of us New Smyrna is a new track. Only three guys have raced there, so initially they will have the advantage so hopefully we will figure the place out real quick. Rollie is so good setting up the car; I know we will be strong. As I said, we are going there to have some fun but first thing is to win."

The first green flag of the season will wave on Sunday night at 7:30 for the 100 lap event. The field will be inverted for the second 100 lap feature on Monday night at 7:30 as the teams will compete for the honor and the estimated $33,000 in purse money.

 
NASCAR Releases 2011 K&N East Schedule
Four New Tracks Join Pro Series’ Staples
 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has announced the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule, which features 12 races in eight states.   2011 SCHEDULE HERE

A marquee addition to the K&N Pro Series slate for its 25th season of competition will be the inaugural event under the lights at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Also new to the schedule will be a trio of historic NASCAR short tracks: Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway and Langley (Va.) Speedway.

Richmond will welcome the K&N Pro Series East at the .75-mile D-shaped oval on April 28 as part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend.

An auto racing icon in the south for six decades, Bowman Gray Stadium has a rich history that includes 29 Sprint Cup Series races from 1958-71, and the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour has held races at the flat quarter mile since 2005. The inaugural K&N Pro Series East event will take place on June 4.

Also new to the slate in 2011 will be Columbus and Langley, who like Bowman Gray, are longtime members of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series program. The K&N Pro Series East will head to the Ohio .333-mile oval for the first time on July 23 while the inaugural event at Langley – a .4-mile circuit – is slated for June 18 in Hampton, Va.

A fixture of the K&N Pro Series East schedule for more than 20 years, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will once again feature NASCAR’s top development series twice in 2011 during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends. With the shifted schedule next year, the first appearance at the “Magic Mile” in Loudon, N.H. will be on July 15 and the return trip is slated for Sept. 23.

For the fourth time in series history, Dover (Del.) International Speedway is scheduled to hold the season finale on Sept. 30. Ryan Truex has celebrated K&N Pro Series East championships in each of the last two seasons at the “Monster Mile.”

The prestigious combination race at Iowa Speedway with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West is once again on the calendar for May 21. This will be the fifth edition of the event at the .875-mile facility in Newton, Iowa.

“NASCAR is excited to announce the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series schedule that includes some of the finest racing facilities the short-track racing community has to offer,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “We welcome the additions of Richmond, Bowman Gray, Langley and Columbus to a slate that already included historic and successful venues up and down the Eastern Seaboard.”

Other 2011 schedule highlights include:
• Five of the 12 races will be companion events with NASCAR’s national series: Dover, Iowa, New Hampshire (twice) and Richmond.
• For the sixth year in a row, Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway will play host to the K&N Pro Series East season-opener on March 27. For the first time, however, GPS will have a second date on Monday of Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5.
• South Boston (Va.) Speedway is on the schedule for the fifth consecutive season. The K&N Pro Series East will once again compete on the same race card with the Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
• The combination race at Iowa, contested on Sunday in its first four editions, will run on Saturday in 2011 with the NASCAR Nationwide Series on the weekend bill for the first time.
• After a highly successful inaugural trip to Gresham Motorsports Park in 2010, the K&N Pro Series East will return to the Jefferson, Ga., half-mile on June 11.
2011 SCHEDULE HERE
RYRE To Supply SPEC Engine Program
Robert Yates Racing Engines to be exclusive provider
Official NASCAR Release - December 6, 2010

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has announced that Robert Yates Racing Engines has been named the exclusive supplier of the NASCAR-Approved Spec Engine.

The engine, which was introduced in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in 2006 as an optional means for managing costs and providing teams with additional opportunities to compete, is also available for use in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours, and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. It is also an option for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams at select tracks.

“The SPEC engine program has clearly established itself as a competitive, economical alternative for many of our teams,” said Richard Buck, NASCAR director of touring series. “As the sport works to establish ways to better manage costs, the option to be able to run the SPEC engine has provided additional teams the opportunity to run in more races and be competitive.”

The program provides teams with the opportunity to buy the NASCAR-Approved SPEC engine from Robert Yates Racing Engines, a racing engine and parts company owned by Robert Yates and Chris Davy, pre-assembled or as a kit and have their own designated engine builder perform the assembly.

“We’re excited to be part of NASCAR’s on-going efforts to provide affordable alternatives for racers throughout this sport,” said Robert Yates, the former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion car owner and engine builder. “Since its debut, the SPEC engine has clearly proven its worth under the rigor of competition. We look forward continuing with the same high-level of service, engine power and quality.”

The SPEC engine achieved tremendous success with Wegner Motorsports, which served as exclusive supplier from 2007-2009. Wegner is diversifying its business and will continue to produce engines for various forms of motorsports and support RYRE through the transition period.

“I am happy to have been involved with the NASCAR SPEC engine from its inception,” said Carl Wegner. “I will still be available to Robert Yates Racing Engines to help in the transition of this great program. I wish nothing but continued success to NASCAR and the SPEC engine program.”

Matt Kobyluck recorded the first win with a SPEC engine in the 2006 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, the premier post-season event for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Joey Logano was the first driver to win a championship driving the SPEC engine exclusively in the 2007 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season. Over the last three years, the champions in both the East and West have used the SPEC engine and it has been the power for every race win in both series.

The SPEC motor was introduced to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour in 2008, and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in 2009. This past year, it was available for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams at tracks 1.25 miles and under in length.

Teams can contact Robert Yates Racing Engines directly at (704) 660-7015 or visit www.RYR.com.
 

>> Previous Race Results HERE <<

67I67II67IIII6