Increased Seat Time Leads to Impressive Run at Martinsville Speedway
Concord, NC — Over the last few years Donny Lia has proven that he is a talented and accomplished racecar driver. Lia knew that he faced new challenges in 2008 when he joined forces with TRG Motorsports for the 2008 Craftsman Truck Series season. After two respectable performances, a 26th and 20th at California Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, Lia finally broke through with a ninth-place effort at the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway (VA), scoring top Raybestos Rookie honors.
“It’s a big shot in the arm for me and the TRG Motorsports team,” said a happy Lia. “I know that I can race with these guys. I know I definitely need a lot more experience, though. Going to Martinsville and running in the top-five and finishing in the top-ten is a real big thing for us. I raced with some real good drivers all day, battling side by side. It was a lot of fun. More so, it was an eye-opener for me to show me that I can race with these guys and they aren’t much different than I am. I just need to get accustomed to this vehicle, and I can be up there with them on a regular basis. At the end of the day ninth is not a win; I want to win, but when you are at my experience level, I think it’s huge.”
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Daytona Beach, FL — Following his 2007 breakthrough season that culminated with his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship, Donny Lia has secured a ride in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for 2008 with TRG Motorsports.
Lia, a native of Jericho, N.Y., will drive the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado for Kevin Buckler and TRG Motorsports. In five full seasons on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Lia collected 11 wins – including six in 2007. Lia was the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Sunoco Rookie of the Year in 2003.
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There has been a lot of speculation this off-season on where 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Donny Lia would land for 2008, but the rumors can be put to rest now that Lia has signed to drive the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Kevin Buckler’s TRG Motorsports team. Lia has signed on to drive a second TRG Motorsports entry, as a teammate to fellow New York-native and three-time Rolex Grand Am Champion Andy Lally. Both drivers will compete for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors and the Championship Crown.
“We are really excited to sign Donny Lia to drive a second truck for us in 2008,” said Team Principal, Kevin Buckler. “When we were looking at adding a second truck team, it made perfect sense to bring Donny in as our second driver. Donny is a very talented young man and has won in just about everything he has raced. He’s one of the most determined racers out there and he’ll make a great addition to our team. Both he and Andy are true racers and they are the future of TRG.”
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2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Donny Lia is entered in this Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season finale.
The Jericho, New York native is looking to make his second career start at Homestead-Miami Speedway after his debut at Loudon earlier this year. Lia will be driving the #59 Simply Fit Toyota for Jim Harris, which was formerly driven by fellow Long Islander Steve Park, and Terry Cook this season.
According to SPEED Channel’s Ray Dunlap, the #59 Harris Trucking Toyota will have a new driver during the 2008 season. He mentioned Donny Lia as the new driver of the Jim Harris owned machine with a sponsorship announcement coming soon.
Lia, a Jericho, New York native won 6 races this season on route to his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in Bob Garbarino’s #4 Mystic Missile. He also competed in his first Craftsman Truck Series race earlier this year at New Hampshire International Speedway. He brought Bill Davis’ #36 home in 20th place.
Sources: SPEED Channel NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series broadcast – Casino Arizona 150
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