Donny Lia to Defend Miller Lite WMT Victory at Riverhead
August 2nd
On a recent Saturday evening at Riverhead Raceway a familiar
face graced the NASCAR Modified pit area. Donny Lia of Jericho
made an appearance and finished 6th in the 35-lap Buzz Chew
Chevrolet-Cadillac main event after starting deep in the field.
Was Donny just enjoying an off weekend from the Craftsman Truck
Series? Yes, but he also had another motive.
Turns out the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion will
defend his 2007 victory in the Miller Lite 140 event at the
track where he earned his first of eleven career wins on the WMT.
Lia has won four of the past five WMT events in August at the
demanding quarter-mile oval. His first came in 2003, which Lia
backed-up with wins in 2004 and 2005. Only a victory by Ted
Christopher in 2006 interrupted the Lia express, which got back
on track in 2007.
Lia, steering the Huntington Honda #18, will instantly become
the driver to beat in the Miller Lite 140 based upon that track
record, so his fellow competitors on the WMT may not exactly
welcome him back with open arms. Aside from Lia and Ted
Christopher among those seeking the victory in the $60,165 event
are Mike Stefanik, Eddie Flemke, Ronnie Silk, Todd Szegedy,
Chuck Hossfeld, Jimmy Blewett, Tony Ferrante Jr., Jamie Tomaino,
Glen Tyler, Joe Hartmann and Ken Heagy. Armed with many laps of
experience at Riverhead, Tyler, Hartmann or Heagy might just be
able to win their first career WMT race in the Miller Lite 140.
A strong contingent of Riverhead Raceway drivers who race in
the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series are also expected
to make a run for the win in the 28-car field include Bill Park,
Howie Brode, Chuck Steuer, Wayne Anderson, John Fortin, and
Justin Bonsignore.
Joining the Miller Lite 140 on Saturday August 2nd will be
the Chargers and Blunderbusts, who both will compete in 30-lap,
double point races and an 8-Cylinder Enduro. Heats for the
Riverhead classes will start at 4:30 pm, while WMT qualifying
will begin at 5:00 pm with time trials at first, then in the
"Flash" event format two 25-lap heat races will be run.
For directions or additional information concerning Riverhead
please call 631-842-RACE or visit
www.riverheadraceway.com.
Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead
Raceway PR
Posted:
July 21, 2008
