MacDonald basking in limelight of world driving championship

James MacDonald is still basking in the limelight of a most unlikely world championship.

The 31-year-old Charlottetown native clinched the 2017 world driving championship in his hometown Friday night. MacDonald replaced Calgary’s Brandon Campbell as Canada’s representative in the biennial event less than three weeks earlier after Campbell was involved in a positive drug test.

“Honestly, it hasn’t really sunk in,” MacDonald said during a telephone interview. “I can’t really grasp it . . . I haven’t really had time to really think about it and enjoy it.

“Obviously it’s a big accomplishment. I’m really proud of it but I know I still need to get better, I still need to keep working hard if I want to be one of the best.”

Campbell, 33, was fined $4,000 and suspended through Jan. 31, 2018 by Standardbred Canada on Aug. 1 after Ima Dude, a horse he trained, tested positive for ephedrine and pyrilamine and associated metabolites. Standardbred Canada named MacDonald as Campbell’s replacement after he finished second to Campbell in qualifying. MacDonald, now living in Guelph, Ont., took full advantage, becoming the first Canadian to capture the world crown on home turf.

“I never expected it,” MacDonald said. “I ended up second in the national (standings) and while I was disappointed, I’d kind of accepted it and that was that.

MacDonald hasn’t had the luxury of time to fully comprehend what he’s done. Early the morning after winning the title he flew back to Toronto to race on that night’s card at nearby Mohawk Racetrack. Then on Sunday it was off to Quebec for an event there before returning to Guelph for more racing Monday night at Mohawk.