A Grade Australian Title to Macdonald
Sunday May 27, 2007

Nathan Macdonald put the East Coast A Grade Australian Title under his belt, claiming honours in the feature race to win the event that he has been chasing since starting his speedway career.  Macdonald lead from start to finish and was never headed as his car come on strong for the feature.  "It's great to finally win an event that I have not won before, until now!" said Macdonald.

Nathan didn't have a great start to the night, as Macdonald started from position 5 in his first heat, on the first corner Martin Cross drove underneath Macdonald and pushed straight into Macdonald and sandwiched him against Mark Lester.  Macdonald drove into the next turn and it seemed ok, but the following turn saw Nathan spin the car around, luckily all cars avoiding contact.  Nathan could not get the car to steer properly, later discovering the left hand shock absorber had snapped from the impact of Cross's car, leaving the strut tower to move around.  Nathan kept the car rolling around and managed to finish in 5th place after other cars pulled out.  Steven Love won the heat from Shane Hollyman in 2nd and Bernie Wright 3rd.

Back in the pits the shock absorber was replaced, but it was then realised the strut was also bent. With only 4 races between the heats, Macdonald had to send the car out.

Heat two saw Nathan start from position three.  Martin Cross drove around Bernie Wright as Nathan went to follow.  Macdonald drove into 3rd place while Cross was out in front.  Macdonald come up to the back of Craig Hay and made a move up the inside down the front straight to take 2nd, but then pushed up high allowing Hay back through.  Macdonald crossed the line in 3rd. 

With plenty of time until the next heat the strut was changed ready for heat 3.  Nathan was in 8th position, as he started to move forward.  Nathan charged into 3rd place and catching Troy Richards, but ran out of laps to get past, having to settle for third.  Martin Cross won the heat with Troy Richards 2nd.

By finishing every heat Macdonald had tied as highest point scorer with Craig Hay.  A coin was tossed which put Hay on pole and Macdonald 2nd.  Troy Richards qualified 3rd, followed by Steven Love, Martin Cross, Bernie Wright, Shane Hollyman, Stewart Fricker and Terry Medcalf.  Medcalf's night was tough, after destroying his front radiator in the first heat after an incident, which then saw him not finish the second heat and then miss the third heat.

On the start Macdonald had the power to drive into the lead into the first corner, as Macdonald never looked back, opening up good lead over his rivals, leading from start to finish to claim his first ever East Coast A Grade Australian Title.  Martin Cross moved into 2nd but couldn't reel in the commodore of Macdonald.  Terry Medcalf come through and into 3rd place, while the final lap saw Medcalf blow a radiator hose off and lose water on the track, which then saw Craig Hay hit the wet patch and spin, as Nathan Macdonald come around to greet the checkered flag.  Macdonald was overwhelmed with the win as Martin Cross finished in 2nd and Terry Medcalf 3rd.  Other positions are still being sorted as to confusion with the finish.

Nathan will now have a few weeks off as he prepares for the Super Stocker QLD Title at Rockhampton Speedway on the 23rd June.  Nathan will also be traveling with his brother Shane Macdonald as he competes in the Qld Modified Production title at Gympie on the 9th & 10th June and then Maryborough on the 16th June for the "Dash 4 Cash".