Rowley’s Eddie MacDonald proved once again that he’s capable of winning races even when he has some serious challenges at New Smyrna Speedway. (Credit: Grimm Racing photo.)

By Lou Modestino

Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA claimed his second win in two nights of ACT competition at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, FL on Monday, August 16. MacDonald followed up his Sunday night win with another trip to victory lane in the first leg of the American Racer Challenge Cup. His second win, however, didn’t come so easy.

Unlike Sunday night, MacDonald didn’t earn the pole, lead every lap or even appear to have the fastest car of the race. He started in the third position and challenged pole sitter Patrick Laperle and outside pole Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. early in the event. Laperle led the way through the first 26 caution free laps, while Polewarczyk struggled and faded back with a tire going flat. Polewarczyk finally spun on lap 26 bringing out the first caution of the event.

That caution setup a six lap battle between Laperle and MacDonald in which they would swap the lead five times with MacDonald settling into the lead on lap 32. Aaron Fellows followed MacDonald by Laperle to take the second spot and quickly set his sights on MacDonald’s rear bumper. Fellows worked the inside lane until finally making the move he needed to take over the point.

Fellows broke out to a comfortable lead with MacDonald hanging at a distance. Meanwhile, sophomore ACT Late Model competitor Josh Demers had an amazing battle with Laperle for over 30 laps. Demers eventually got the advantage and took over third.

It appeared to be smooth sailing for Fellows who arguably had the fastest car of the race until the fifth caution of the event flew on lap 86. That caution came for Laperle who wrecked hard in the turn one wall after being stuck in the outside of a three-wide. Fellows hung on to the lead through the next two restarts for two more cautions. MacDonald got the advantage on the lap 87 restart and Fellows fell back to second. Just two laps later the eighth and final caution flag flew when Fellows spun in turn two, while battling for second.

MacDonald held off Wayne Helliwell, Jr. on the final restart to claim his second win in two nights. Helliwell came from eighth to claim second and his second podium finish in two nights. Quebec’s Alex Labbe had to change a motor between the last practice and the heat races and managed to still take third in the feature. Nick Sweet and Demers rounded out the top five. Pete Yetman, Donald Theetge, Travis Stearns, Fellows and Brandon White completed the top ten.

The 100 lap event saw eight cautions and was completed in one hour, six minutes and 18 seconds. There were seven lead changes among three drivers.

The American Canadian Tour wraps up its trip south with the 100 lap second leg of the American Racer Challenge Cup at New Smyrna Speedway on Tuesday, February 17. The top twenty finishers from Monday’s event will be inverted for the start of Tuesday’s race. The overall Challenge Cup winner will be decided based on the best two combined finishes from the Monday and Tuesday events.

American Racer Challenge Cup Segment #1
ACT Unofficial Results
New Smyrna Speedway – New Smyrna Beach, FL
Monday, February 16, 2015
Pos. (Start) Driver, Hometown, Laps Completed

(3) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA, 100 Laps
(8) Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH, 100 Laps
(9) Alex Labbe, St-Albert, QC, 100 Laps
(7) Nick Sweet, Barre, VT, 100 Laps
(6) Josh Demers, Montpelier, VT, 100 Laps
(13) Pete Yetman, Peru, MA, 100 Laps
(12) Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC, 100 Laps
(20) Travis Stearns, Auburn, ME, 100 Laps
(5) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH, 100 Laps
(15) Brandon White, Kahnawake, QC, 100 Laps
(11) Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI, 100 Laps
(17) Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT, 100 Laps
(10) Keith Rocco, Berlin, CT, 100 Laps
(19) Brandon Atkins, Au Sable Forks, NY, 99 Laps
(16) Tom Carey, Jr., New Salem, MA, 99 Laps
(23) Edward Leclerc, Jr., Taunton, MA, 99 Laps
(1) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC, 86 Laps
(18) Brad Babb, Windham, ME, 86 Laps
(26) Jean-Pierre Ouimet, Terrebonne, QC, 85 Laps
(14) Jeff Rocco, Wallingford, CT, 28 Laps
(2) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, 28 Laps
(4) Rowland Robinson, Jr., Steuben, ME, 26 Laps
(21) Dylan Smith, Concord, NC, 25 Laps
(22) Daniel Descoste, St-Joseph, QC, 8 Laps
(24) Kyle Welch, Newport, NH, 0 Laps
Lap Leaders: Patrick Laperle, 1-26; Eddie MacDonald, 27-28; Laperle, 29; MacDonald, 30; Laperle, 31; MacDonald, 32-47; Aaron Fellows, 48-87; MacDonald, 88-100. (7 lead changes among 3 drivers)

Time of Race: 1:06:18

Margin of Victory: .512 seconds

Cautions: 8 (laps 26, 26, 28, 36, 86, 86, 87, 89)

Heat Winners: Alex Labbe, Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Ray Parent

Source: ACT PR