Eddie MacDonald Posts Second Place Finish in Final K&N Race at Dover
Eddie MacDonald drove from his 12th starting position to a second place finish in the Grimm Racing Team’s final appearance in the NASCAR Pro Series East’s Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation 125 at Dover International Speedway on Friday night as part of the Monster Energy Cup weekend.
After eleven years, the team will no longer compete in the K&N Series with Eddie Mac saying,” It has been an incredible run and I will be forever grateful for Rob and Karla Grimm for everything they have done for us. They started out as team owners and quickly became family. Rob, Karla, and the entire Grimm family welcomed us with open arms and despite ending our racing team, we will always be a part of “Grimm Nation.” Words cannot describe how much they have done for our team. We have been blessed to be a part of their family.”
Eddie Mac struggled in practice and qualifying to start 12th in the 15 car field. When the green flag waved to start the 125 lap feature, the Grimm Construction Chevy was tight in the center of the turns thus slowing the speed down the straights. Crew chief Rollie LaChance called the veteran driver to the pits during a caution on lap 11 for needed adjustments. Eddie Mac returned to the track in 11th position for the lap 17 restart.
After a lap 40 caution and another pit stop for adjustments, Eddie Mac was penalized with a drive through penalty putting the #71 a lap down. NASCAR officials first stated the penalty was due to improperly lining up for the restart on lap 45 then changed their minds to say it was a speeding penalty on pit road. Regardless of which one it actually was, Eddie Mac was a lap down to the field looking for the “Lucky dog.”
Another caution on lap 56 also served as the halfway break. With four new Goodyear tires and a full tank, Eddie Mac rode in the top ten competitively in the field but was still a lap down. A caution on lap 88 finally placed the Grimm Construction/Multiple Sclerosis Chevy back on the lead lap for the lap 95 restart. With the handling much better, Eddie Mac raced in the seventh position by the next, but not final, caution flag on lap 99. Eddie Mac grabbed the sixth spot on lap 121 and appeared headed for that finish. However, a caution on lap 123 sent the race into overtime for a green/white/checker finish.
Eddie Mac lined up on the outside for the final two laps on the Monster Mile and took the white flag in that position. Sensing something would happen to the top cars battling for the win on the last lap, the cagey veteran positioned himself to take advantage of any slip up in front. Suddenly going into turn one, all but the leader began bouncing off one another scattering up and down the track. Eddie Mac drove through the middle of the melee to come around to post his second place finish.
“I thought it would get crazy at the end and I just had to jump into the opening and it worked out,” said the Rowley, Mass. driver after the race. “We have had some pretty good success here but certainly this is the sweetest because it is our last one. We really wanted to end everything on a solid note and aside from winning, this feels great. I am happy for Rob and all of “Grimm Nation” that came today to have that finish. We have had the most amazing people associated with this team and Rollie and I will be forever thankful. We have been lucky to have the crew through the years that gave everything we asked and more. This has been an incredible and humbling experience.”
“Thank you Karla and Rob!”
