WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-MacDonald Wins Inaugural ACT Invitational

MacDonald Wins Inaugural ACT Invitational

9/19/09

Loudon, NH - Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA won the Inaugural ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. MacDonald came from the 19^th starting position and took the lead on lap 36 from young Brandon Watson from Stayner, ON. Watson hung with MacDonald, not more than a car length away and eventually took the lead again on the lap 41 restart. MacDonald would eventually take the lead again for good.

"It was awesome to win the first ACT race here. I'm sure there will be more but winning the first one is special. There were still a lot of fans in the grandstands from after the truck race," said MacDonald who scored his second win of the weekend after taking the East Series race at NHMS on Friday.

After MacDonald took the lead for the last time the battle of the race became for second. Nick Sweet of Barre, VT and Joey Laquerre from Montpelier, VT caught Watson for second. The three ran under a blanket for the final 7 laps with Sweet getting the advantage and Watson fell back to third after Laquerre momentarily lost the handle. Watson then had to hold off Patrick Laperle from St-Denis, QC for third at the line by a bumper. Laperle had to settle for fourth followed by John Donahue of Graniteville, VT taking fifth. Laquerre held on for sixth followed by Brad Leighton, Brian Hoar, Bruce Thomas, and Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. came home tenth.

Joey Doiron of Berwick, ME got the initial jump on lap one and led by three car lengths over pole sitter Bruce Thomas of Groton, CT by the time they were in turn 2. Doiron then pulled out to a comfortable lead for the first 20 laps before the handling on his car appeared to fade. Thomas was right there to take over followed closely by Ontario's Brandon Watson. Watson and Thomas battled through lap traffic as the field remained under green for the first 31 laps. That ended when Eric Chase spun in turn two. Watson took the lead on the restart until MacDonald took over the lead after coming from his 19^th starting position.

The Inaugural ACT Invitational at New Hampshire was completed in 38 minutes and 32 seconds with only 2 cautions. The lead was swapped five times among four drivers.

The Série ACT Castrol drivers will be back in action tomorrow at St-Eustache Speedway in St-Eustache, QC for a 300 lap to cap off their season. The American Canadian Late Model Tour will finish off their season at Oxford Plains Speedway on Sunday, October 11. Next Sunday, September 27 most of these drivers will show up for the 47^th Annual Chittenden Milk Bowl at Thunder Road International Speedbowl.

-- COURTESY ACT