LOUDON, N.H. (Sept. 18, 2009) – Eddie MacDonald closed the gap on NASCAR Camping World Series East points leader Ryan Truex Friday night at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a win in the Heluva Good! Fall 125.
MacDonald beat Kevin Swindell to the line on a Lap 92 restart and kept the lead when Swindell faltered on a Lap 97 green-white-checker restart to win the rain-delayed and darkness-shortened race in Loudon.
MacDonald, driver of the No. 71 NEMO/Daymark Chevrolet from Rowley, Mass., entered Friday trailing Truex by 50 points in the season standings. By virtue of winning the race and leading a lap, MacDonald was able to gain 20 points on Truex – who finished third – with just one race remaining to decide the championship.
MacDonald also earned a secure spot in the postseason NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, to be run Jan. 30, 2010 at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).
Brett Moffitt wound up second Friday and was followed across the line by Truex, Matt Kobyluck, and Jesus Hernandez. Kobyluck led a race-high 38 laps but lost the lead to Swindell on the Lap 82 restart.
The rest of the top 10 finishers were Jody Lavender, Alan Tardiff, Steve Park, Max Gresham and Swindell.
The race was originally scheduled for 125 laps, but the start was delayed by 40 minutes due to rain and the race was shortened to 99 laps by darkness.
The finale of the 2009 season and the crowning of a champion will take place on Friday, Sept. 25 with the Sunoco 150 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
Finish
Start
Car #
Driver
Car
Laps
Money Won
Reason Out
1
1
71
Eddie MacDonald
NEMO/Daymark Chevrolet
99
$15,500
2
3
44
Brett Moffitt
Brett Moffitt.com Chevrolet
99
$10,825
3
9
00
Ryan Truex
NAPA Toyota
99
$9,100
4
5
40
Matt Kobyluck
Mohegan Sun Chevrolet
99
$9,650
5
34
12
Jesus Hernandez
Chivas/Telmex/Z-Line Design Dodge
99
$8,800
6
11
88
Jody Lavender
Jo Jo Enterprises/Custom Race Chassis Chevrolet
99
$6,300
7
19
38
Alan Tardiff
Bestway Disposal/Renton Coil Spring Chevrolet
99
$6,000
8
14
35
Steve Park
Waste Management Recycle America Chevrolet
99
$5,700
9
2
18
Max Gresham
Gresham Motorsports Park Toyota
99
$5,300
10
6
9
Kevin Swindell
Curb Records Dodge
99
$4,600
11
12
7
Ryan Duff
Pine Branch Coal/Kpsales.com Chevrolet
99
$4,700
12
21
53
Derek Ramstrom
Cam Neely Foundation/Gilbane Chevrolet
99
$3,900
13
28
37
Alex Kennedy
Media Master Chevrolet
99
$4,146
14
25
39
Dustin Delaney
Delaney Infrastructure/CarDaddy.com Chevrolet
99
$3,900
15
35
96
Mike Johnson
Johnson Lumber/Martin Internatioanl Enclosure Ford
Lap Leaders: E. MacDonald 1-17; D. Mayhew 18-30; E. MacDonald 31; D. Mayhew 32-43; M. Kobyluck 44-81; K. Swindell 82-91; E. MacDonald 92-99.
Standings: 1. R. Truex, 1577; 2. E. MacDonald, 1547; 3. J. Lavender, 1475; 4. M. Kobyluck, 1449; 5. B. Moffitt, 1435; 6. S. Park, 1421; 7. D. Delaney, 1268; 8. A. Tardiff, 1261; 9. R. Duff, 1238; 10. A. Kennedy, 1230.