Race 8 - 7/17/04
Waterford Speedbowl

Kobyluck Corporations 150

Sixteenth Place Finish for MacDonald at Waterford

By Dick Casey---HRM Motorsports

The HRM Motorsports’ decision to pit early in the Kobyluck Corporations 150 at Waterford Speedbowl Conn. worked perfectly for the car but not for track position. Eddie MacDonald and the team tried a number of changes to get the car to handle better after qualifying twelfth but as luck would have it, the car was not any better by race time.

Eddie said after the qualifying run, “We were still loose off the corners and we will try some more changes because we need to stay up front, hang in there, and hopefully pass some cars. This is really a tough place to pass.”

However, when the green flag waved, the # 17 Ford Taurus was still very loose and couldn’t get off the corners. The team decided to gamble on an early pit stop on the first caution flag that came on lap 13. Eddie explained the strategy saying, “ We were loose in and tight off the corner so we needed to make it better which we did by a ton but then we got tangled up with others cars causing us to go a lap down.”

Eddie was able to maintain his position but couldn’t get the needed break to get back on the lead lap. With Mike Johnson setting such a torrid pace, the rest of the pack was mostly running nose to tail. The tight confines of the track made passing difficult so there was little movement behind the leader.

Expressing his disappointment after the race, Eddie stated, “ It’s all where you start here,” regarding his involvement in the lap 133 wreck that severely damaged his right front fender. The crash was just another setback the team has been experiencing lately.

However, optimism remains high and the team is hoping for a good run at NHIS this weekend to help lift the dark cloud hovering over them. Summing it up for the entire team, Eddie feels, “ We have had such bad luck lately, we definitely need to have a good showing at Loudon. We qualified well there last year so getting another good one will go a long way to lift our spirits.“

Kobyluck Corporations 150 presented by Big Y

NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, BUSCH NORTH SERIES

Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford, Conn., Sat., July 17, 2004

FINISH (finishing position, starting position, driver, hometown, manufacturer, laps completed, reason out of any, money won)

  1.  (1) Mike Johnson, Salisbury Mass., Ford, 150, $6,900
  2.  (3) Mike Stefanik, Coventry R.I., Chevrolet, 150, $3,200
  3.  (5) Matt Kobyluck, Uncasville Conn., Chevrolet, 150, $2,800
  4.  (7) Mike Olsen, North Haverhill N.H., Chevrolet, 150, $2,300
  5. (10) Joey McCarthy, Randolph N.J., Chevrolet, 150, $2,100
  6.  (4) Bryon Chew, Mattituck N.Y., Chevrolet, 150, $1,800
  7.  (9) Dale Quarterley, Westfield Mass., Chevrolet, 150, $1,700
  8.  (2) Ryan Moore, Scarborough ME., Chevrolet, 150, $1,600
  9. (11) Jamie Aube, Manchester N.H., Chevrolet, 150, $1,800
10.  (8) Brian Hoar, Williston VT., Intrepid, 150, $1,475
11. (16) Andy Santerre, Cherryfield ME., Chevrolet, 150, $2,050
12. (18) Charles Lewandoski, Stafford Springs, Conn , Chevrolet, 150, $2,425
13. (13) Bobby Dragon, Milton VT., Chevrolet, 150, $1,400
14. (15) Travis Benjamin, Morrill Me., Ford, 150, $875
15.  (6) Kelly Moore, Scarborough ME., Chevrolet, 150, $1,350
16. (12) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley Mass., Ford, 149, $1,325
17. (20) Ryan Seaman, Toms River N.J., Chevrolet, 148, $1,300
18. (14) Don Wagner, Wharton N.J., Chevrolet, 148, $1,275
19. (17) Bill Penfold, Yarmouth ME., Chevrolet, 146, $1,275
20. (22) Andy Hilliger, Lancaster Mass., Chevrolet, 139, $775
21. (21) Scott Bouley, Thomaston Conn., Chevrolet, 128, $775
22. (19) Laine Chase, Beverly Mass., Chevrolet, 18, Transmission, $1,275
23. (23) Kip Stockwell, Braintree VT., Chevrolet, 2, Engine, $1,275
24. (24) Dave Dion, Hudson N.H., Ford, 0, DNS, $1,275

* Denotes Rookie of the Year Contender



TIME OF RACE: 57 minutes, 32 seconds           

AVERAGE SPEED: 58.679 mph

MARGIN OF VICTORY: .513 seconds

CAUTION PERIODS: 6 for 32 laps

LAP LEADERS: Mike Johnson 1-150

BUSCH POLE AWARD: Mike Johnson, Ford, 15.011 seconds @ 88.735 mph

POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Charkes Lewandoski, Chevrolet

FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Jamie Aube, Chevrolet
 

Media Contact: Jennifer MacDonald - jennymac29@hotmail.com