Last Friday on a cold, winter night in Waymart, the Grimm Racing team hauler began its nearly 3000 mile journey to southern California.
The crew was packed up and ready for Saturday night's "Toyota All-Star Showdown" at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale.
Waymart resident Steve Vasey is behind the wheel of the 73 foot long toterhome and trailer carrying two Grimm Construction No. 71 Chevrolets (primary and back-up cars) and all the equipment needed for driver Eddie MacDonald of Rowley, MA, to challenge the best NASCAR Touring Series drivers for the win at the California facility.
Assisting Vasey on the trip is Grimm Racing crew chief Rollie LaChance and his family of New Gloucester, ME.
Friday afternoon the Grimm Racing shop was buzzing with activity, as final preparations took place. Vasey, LaChance, MacDonald, Billy Jenkins, Dave Jenkins, and others pushed, pulled, and carried to the trailer about every spare part imaginable, including the pit cart, crash cart, wheels, springs, and enough bottled water and energy drinks to quench the thirst of the crew members.
The crew would fly to California later in the week.
Team owner Rob Grimm and driver Eddie MacDonald are coming off a very successful 2009 season. They were the best of the NASCAR independent teams going up against the well funded development teams of the Sprint Cup Series.
MacDonald finished the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (formerly known as the Camping World Series) season championship in second place, only 34 points behind Michael Waltrip Racing driver Ryan Truex, brother of Sprint Cup driver Martin Truex.
Eddie won the Heluva Good! Fall 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, captured two pole positions, was crowned the Lincoln Electric/Airgas Track Champion at NHMS, and was chosen just three weeks ago as the Northeast Motorsports Expo Touring Driver of the Year.
MacDonald has high hopes for what many call the “Daytona 500” of Short Track Racing.
“We have been busy all winter preparing for this race, and everyone is excited to get racing and hopefully come away with the win,” he said. “We are bringing the car we ran there two years ago to a fifth place finish, and we have made some changes especially with the set-up so we feel very confident of our chances.”
Toyota Speedway at Irwindale is a very competitive, state-of-the-art, banked, one-half mile asphalt track located in the San Gabriel Valley, less than 25 minutes from downtown Los Angeles.
