First Time at Nashville Produces 16th for Lia

Donny Lia Race Post

Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Donny Lia entered Saturday night’s Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway coming off a ninth-place finish in his first visit to O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.  Lia and his TRG Motorsports team where hoping to capitalize on the momentum built from their visit to the 0.686-mile oval, but the team had a tough time at the 1.333-mile outside of Nashville and came out of the 150-lap race with a 16th-place finish overall.

“We started out pretty good in practice,” said Lia of his No. 71 NationRides.com Chevrolet.  “We didn’t show all that fast on the practice sheets but we really did have a good competitive truck in race trim.  I was feeling good about it early on.”  The crew made a few changes to the No. 71 Chevrolet before qualifying took place and the adjustments didn’t seem to pay off.  “Qualifying came around and we made some changes that we probably shouldn’t have and that hurt us in qualifying.  Ultimately I think it hurt us in the race.  It’s just one of those deals.  We’ll just live and learn and get a little bit more experience.”

Lia’s fast time in qualifying was good for a 24th-place starting spot, but it didn’t take him long to work by slower trucks and into the top-20.  “This is promising,” said Lia to his new Crew Chief, Jon Wolfe, who assumed Crew Chief duties at O’Reilly Raceway Park.  By the event’s second caution on lap 37, Lia was 19th and his truck was “neutral” but “tight in traffic”.  Wolfe called Lia to pit road for four tires, fuel, and a chassis adjustment, returning to the track 21st. 

Lia dodged a four truck wreck just a few laps later and began to work his way towards the front.  By lap 53, Lia was 14th but was still fighting a “tight” truck.  On lap 77, Lia hit pit road again for four tires, fuel, chassis and air pressure adjustment and returned to the track 18th.  Just seven laps later, his truck was “loose”.  Lia made one more pit stop, under caution, on lap 124 where the crew made a four tire change, added fuel, and made significant chassis adjustments to the No. 71.  Lia took the green flag in 20th and picked up four spots in the closing laps to claim 16th in his first race at Nashville Superspeedway.

“I guess a top-20 is better than lower than a top-20, so that’s good,” said Lia.  “But somewhere along the line you’ve got to figure out what you need and be able to finish in the top-15, top-10 on the bigger tracks.  While a top-20 is decent, it’s not what I’m looking for.  Maybe at the beginning of the season, I was looking for that but right now it’s not what I’m looking for.  I’ve been down this road before.  The guys are all working hard.  We’re all a bunch of racers so the bottom line is that we’ve got to keep digging and figure out what it is we’re lacking and try to get it and get better.” 

Lia will take a weekend off from racing before returning to the wheel of the No. 71 Chevrolet on August 20th at Bristol Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly 200.  Live television coverage will begin on the SPEED Channel at 7:30 p.m. ET with radio coverage coming to you live courtesy of MRN Radio.

Donny battles Mike Skinner.

(Ronda Greer Photo)

The #71 Chevy Silverado at Speed.

(Ronda Greer Photo)