Eddie MacDonald Rallies from Flat Tire for Sixth Place in the K&N Race at Bristol
Eddie MacDonald powered the Grimm Construction/Multiple Sclerosis Society Chevrolet to a hard earned sixth place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East PittLite 125 at Bristol Motor Speedway as a companion race with the Sprint Cup Series. The Rowley, Mass. veteran started his 183rd race in the series and took the green flag as the defending champion of last year’s event. A flat tire on lap 49 appeared to quash any hopes of repeating the win but Eddie Mac and the crew never gave up and rallied from the flat and 24th restarting position to make his patented charge to the front.
“With everything that we had to overcome in the race, we are pleased with the sixth place finish,” said Eddie Mac after the race. “Obviously we would have liked to compete for the win but this finish showed how we can overcome adversity. We had a very similar set-up in the car as last year and the car handled pretty good. We didn’t have a great qualifying run (16th) but last year we started 13th and won so we knew the car would be good for the long run.”
Twenty eight cars took the green flag in the 125 lap event around “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” as Eddie Mac wasted no time moving up four spots from 16th to 12th in just two laps and into tenth by lap 21. The car was “a little loose but not bad” according to Eddie Mac at the first caution on lap 37. While running ninth the #71 blew a left rear tire to bring out the caution on lap 49, then restarted 24th one lap down. Eddie Mac moved up two positions before the halfway break at lap 62. The crew was allowed to re-fuel but could not change tires during the five minute break.
Racing resumed after the break with Eddie Mac the recipient of the “lucky dog” to restart on the lead lap in the 22nd position. Chief Rollie LaChance made the call to bring the #71 to the pits for a wedge adjustment during a lap 76 caution resulting in a charge from the 20threstarting position on lap 81 to 13th on lap 90. On laps 100 and lap 109, the veteran racer made it three wide around the high banked turns of Bristol to ninth place with sixteen laps to go. Eddie Mac battled Austin Hill for sixth place before taking over the spot with ten to go.
“The car was really good all day,” said Eddie Mac. “I think we had a top three car and then run for the win and see what would happen but the flat changed everything. I wanted to get to fifth at the end but I used up the car coming from the rear so it was pretty loose at the end. Sixth place is still a great finish at Bristol. It is so much fun to drive here and you have to have a good car or you are in for a long day. Rollie and the crew did a great job all day long and I appreciate their efforts. Our owner Rob Grimm and a number of “Grimm Nation” family and fans were here so I am glad we had a good showing after the flat tire. This is a tough racetrack to make up ground when you have a problem so I am proud of what we accomplished today.”
“Many thanks go to our sponsors: Grimm Construction, Stilo, HMS Motorsports, Waymart Building Center, Schroth Racing, Peterson Auto Body, and Kustom Vinyl. The Multiple Sclerosis National Society logo is proudly displayed on the car, as well as, the New Path Adventures logo.”
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East’s next race will be a combination race with the K&N West Series at Iowa Speedway on May 16. NBCSN will televise the PittLite 125 on April 23 with a time to be determined.
Sources: Eddie MacDonald PR