2015-02-18

Eddie MacDonald Completes the Sweep at New Smyrna

Eddie MacDonald Completes the Sweep at New Smyrna

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                       ACT-021815

New Smyrna Beach, FL – Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA completed the sweep by winning all three American Canadian Tour events at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, FL. His third win in four days came on Wednesday, February 18 in the second 100-lap segment of the American Racer Challenge Cup. His two wins in the American Racer Challenge Cup segments earned him the overall Challenge Cup win.

MacDonald came from deep in the field after the inversion of Monday night's finish in the first segment. Two-time ACT Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. tried to play spoiler to MacDonald's perfect week as he led the way up through the field. The duo made it inside the top ten until Helliwell spun to bring out the second caution of the event on lap 28. MacDonald continued to work his way toward the front methodically, while Helliwell came tearing back through the field.

MacDonald made it inside the top five just after the halfway mark and Helliwell joined him with just thirty laps remaining. By the time the third caution flag of the event flew on lap 66, the pair were nose to tail inside the top five with defending ACT Champion Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. dogging their every move.

Early leaders Brad Babb and Keith Rocco remained in a battle for the lead on the lap 66 restart. As they fought side-by-side MacDonald made a three-wide move to take over the lead. Helliwell got caught in traffic for several more laps until he got around Babb to take over second with 11 laps to go. He set his sights on MacDonald's back bumper and started cutting into his lead. Helliwell did all he could to get to MacDonald, but ran out of time.

MacDonald crossed the finish line with Helliwell on his back bumper. Polewarczyk, Babb and Série ACT Champion Alex Labbe completed the top five in the segment. Keith Rocco, Daniel Descoste, Josh Demers, Rowland Robinson, Jr., and Ray Parent earned top tens in the segment.

Eddie MacDonald claimed the overall American Racer Challenge Cup win with two wins for two points. Wayne Helliwell, Jr. took second overall with two second place efforts for four points and Alex Labbe took third with a third and fifth place finish for eight points. Sophomore driver Josh Demers (5th, 8th – 13pts) and two-time Thunder Road Champion Nick Sweet (4th, 11th – 15pts) completed the top five overall. Keith Rocco (13th, 6th – 19pts), Ray Parent (11th, 10th – 21pts), Brad Babb (18th, 4th – 22 pts), Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. (21st, 3rd – 24 pts) and Brandon White (10th, 14th – 24 pts) completed the top ten.

The second leg of the American Racer Challenge Cup was completed with just four cautions in 44 minutes and 54 seconds. MacDonald edged Helliwell by .232 seconds.

That completes ACT's three events at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, FL. The stars of ACT will head back north and have a couple months off before starting their 2015 season at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH on Sunday, April 12.

American Racer Challenge Cup Overall 
ACT Unofficial Results
New Smyrna Speedway – New Smyrna Beach, FL
Pos. (Start) Driver, Hometown, Seg. #1, Seg. #2, TOTAL

  1. (3) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA, 1, 1, 2
  2. (8) Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH, 2, 2, 4
  3. (9) Alex Labbe, St-Albert, QC, 3, 5, 8
  4. (7) Josh Demers, Montpelier, VT, 5, 8, 13
  5. (6) Nick Sweet, Barre, VT, 4, 11, 15
  6. (13) Keith Rocco, Berlin, CT, 13, 6, 19
  7. (12) Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI, 11, 10, 21
  8. (20) Brad Babb, Windham, ME, 18, 4, 22
  9. (5) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, 21, 3, 24
  10. (15) Brandon White, Kahnawake, QC, 10, 14, 24
  11. (11) Pete Yetman, Peru, MA, 6, 18, 24
  12. (17) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH, 9, 17, 26
  13. (10) Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC, 7, 19, 26
  14. (19) Tom Carey, Jr., New Salem, MA, 15, 12, 27
  15. (16) Brandon Atkins, Au Sable Forks, NY, 14, 13, 27
  16. (23) Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT, 12, 16, 28
  17. (1) Travis Stearns, Auburn, ME, 8, 20, 28
  18. (18) Daniel Descoste, St-Joseph, QC, 24, 7, 31
  19. (26) Rowland Robinson, Jr., Steuben, ME, 22, 9, 31
  20. (14) Edward Leclerc, Jr., Taunton, MA, 16, 15, 31
  21. (2) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC, 17, 22, 39
  22. (4) Jean-Pierre Ouimet, Terrebonne, QC, 19, 22, 41
  23. (21) Jeff Rocco, Wallingford, CT, 20, 22, 42
  24. (22) Dylan Smith, Concord, NC, 23, 22, 45
  25. (24) Kyle Welch, Newport, NH, 25, 21, 46

 

American Racer Challenge Cup Segment #2
ACT Unofficial Results
New Smyrna Speedway – New Smyrna Beach, FL
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Pos. (Start) Driver, Hometown, Laps Completed

  1. (16) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA, 100 Laps
  2. (15) Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Dover, NH, 100 Laps
  3. (17) Joey Polewarczyk, Jr., Hudson, NH, 100 Laps
  4. (1) Brad Babb, Windham, ME, 100 Laps
  5. (14) Alex Labbe, St-Albert, QC, 100 Laps
  6. (4) Keith Rocco, Berlin, CT, 100 Laps
  7. (19) Daniel Descoste, St-Joseph, QC, 100 Laps
  8. (12) Josh Demers, Montpelier, VT, 100 Laps
  9. (18) Rowland Robinson, Jr., Steuben, ME, 100 Laps
  10. (6) Ray Parent, Tiverton, RI, 100 Laps
  11. (13) Nick Sweet, Barre, VT, 100 Laps
  12. (2) Tom Carey, Jr., New Salem, MA, 100 Laps
  13. (3) Brandon Atkins, Au Sable Forks, NY, 100 Laps
  14. (7) Brandon White, Kahnawake, QC, 100 Laps
  15. (20) Edward Leclerc, Jr., Taunton, MA, 100 Laps
  16. (5) Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT, 100 Laps
  17. (8) Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH, 100 Laps
  18. (11) Pete Yetman, Peru, MA, 97 Laps
  19. (10) Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC, 85 Laps
  20. (9) Travis Stearns, Auburn, ME, 55 Laps
  21. (21) Kyle Welch, Newport, NH, 0 Laps
    DNS Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC
    DNS Jean-Pierre Ouimet, Terrebonne, QC
    DNS Jeff Rocco, Wallingford, CT
    DNS Dylan Smith, Concord, NC

 

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Eddie MacDonald Doubles Up at New Smyrna

Eddie MacDonald Doubles Up at New Smyrna

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                       ACT-021615

New Smyrna Beach, FL – 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

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

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NASCAR Statement from George Silbermann, NASCAR Vice President, Regional and Touring Series, Regarding Canadian Tire

NASCAR Statement from George Silbermann, NASCAR Vice President, Regional and Touring Series, Regarding Canadian Tire

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2014) – "Canadian Tire has been a valued partner since 2007 and we appreciate their efforts to grow NASCAR racing in Canada. The series continues to be Canada's premier motorsports league, and we expect there to be very strong interest in this premium entitlement sponsorship opportunity.  We look forward to working with all of our partners in Canada to continue delivering exciting NASCAR racing to our fans."

 

Contact:                                                                                              

Tom Bryant

NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications


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