01/03/2005
DONNY
LIA TO MAKE PITSTOP IN CHARLOTTE
HUNTINGTON, NY (January 3,
2005) NASCAR
Modified driver Donny Lia is redefining the term
off-season this year. For the promising young racer,
there has not been much off in his off-season. And
that will continue this week as Lia travels to the epicenter
of the stock car world, Charlotte, NC, before heading back
home to prepare for Speedweeks 2005.
Lia will be in the Tar Heel
state for three reasons; first, to make more contacts in the
racing world, secondly, to visit with some friends, but most
importantly, to make an appearance as NASCAR Night with
the Charlotte Checkers. The team is part of the East
Coast Hockey League and several NASCAR celebrities will make
appearances at Friday and Saturday nights games (January
7th & 8th). Lia will join NASCAR Nextel Cup star Sterlin
Marlin, Busch Series competitor David Stremme and NASCAR
television personalities Bob Dillner and Krista Voda (both
from SPEED Channel), among others at the Cricket Arena in
Charlotte.
It will be a lot of
fun, said Lia of his trip from Long Island, NY to North
Carolina. NHL does not exist right now because of the
strike and I hear the Charlotte Checkers are doing well this
year, so hopefully a lot of people will come out to see the
game and show their support of NASCAR.
Lias month of December was
occupied by the end of the year banquet circuit. Just before
Christmas, Lia was honored at the NASCAR Modified Series
banquet as the 2004 Bud Pole Award winner. Lia and his #19 Lia
Motorsports, Inc. team earned a total of four fast-time-awards
during the season.
Its a great honor and
Im proud that we won this, Lia said upon reflecting
on his banquet appearance. This is a hard series to even
make a race in. The Modifieds have the highest car counts of
any NASCAR Series, so this is especially satisfying for our
team.
Lia is also fresh off his
appearance at the New Hampshire International Speedway awards
banquet. He placed third in the standings at the Magic
Mile this year behind double race winner Ted Christopher
and 2004 Modified Series champion Tony Hirschman.
To be in the top three of
the guys who raced at New Hampshire in only my second year of
going there is pretty special, said Lia. We had a
shot to win both races there this year.
The track really fits Lias
driving style well, which is a good thing considering the
prestige associated with Modified races at the track.
I liked the place from the
first time that I went out to practice there, said Lia.
Im very comfortable racing there. The track is wide
and smooth. You can have some hard side by side racing there.
New Hampshire is one of the most coveted races on our
schedule. Its our Daytona.
New Hampshire is the only track
on the Modified schedule that awards a points fund for their
events. Lia is very appreciative of that fact and the overall
treatment that competitors receive at the facility.
All of the people from the
track are very generous, said Lia. I need to thank
the Bahre family, Fred Neergaard and everyone else for hosting
us and going out of their way for the Modified Series. I
really appreciate it.
So now that the banquet season
is over, what will Lia and his team be doing to make sure that
they are a part of next years post season festivities?
My team is coming back
intact for next season and our qualifying program is going to
be the same, said Lia. As long as the new tires will
let us use our notes from this year, well be good. If
not, well adjust. Winning the Bud Pole Award again next
year is something that we would like to do, but our first goal
is the championship.
In 2005, Lia and the LMI team
will return to action in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series.
They will also compete in the Modified events at New Smyrna
Speedway during Florida Speedweeks in February. For
more information on Donny and the team, please contact Matthew
Dillner at (704) 231-7613 and be sure to visit DonnyLia.com.
Sources: Donny Lia PR
Posted: January 4, 2005
