DONNY LIA TO DEFEND MILLER LITE WMT
VICTORY AT RIVERHEAD AUGUST 2
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.
THE END
