There are several things that come along with a NASCAR Touring championship and a number of duties and privileges that are extended to a NASCAR champion.  Donny Lia rediscovered that this past week as he was honored during NASCAR's Champions week for the second time in his career.  Lia, who first won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in 2007, earned the title again in 2009.

Because of that, Lia took part in a week of media and public events in North Carolina that ended with Saturday night's formal Gala event.

“The whole thing was a lot of fun.  NASCAR just does a great job and they really made us feel very special this week,” said Lia.  “This week has just been a lot of fun and that's really the only way I could really sum it up.  It really feels good to win the championship and that kind of all comes home here.”

Being a multi-time champion gives Lia the perspective to compare two championship seasons.  As it turned out, his 2009 campaign was very different from his 2007 title run.

“This championship really felt completely different than the first one that we won,” said Lia.  “That first one, we really had a flawless year.  Maybe we had one bump in the road early in the season, but then we got right on track and won a bunch of races and poles.  We won everything there was to win that year.  This year, we struggled during the first part of the year.  We came on strong halfway through and just grabbed the championship away.  It was a different type of satisfaction, but a great feeling.  It feels good to get both kinds of satisfaction out of it.”

Another perk of champions week was the chance for Lia to mingle with other NASCAR Touring champions.

“We hung out with a few of the guys.  We got to know Andrew Ranger real well because he won in 2007 and we hung out then.  I got to meet Ryan Truex and Phillip Morris.  I already knew George Brunnhoelzl from the Island (both Lia and Brunnhoelzl - the 2009 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion are from Long Island, New York).  The whole thing is a really good event that brings everyone together.”

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour

2009 Champions

Donny Lia – No. 4

Mystic Missile Racing

Car Owner: Bob Garbarino

Hutter Racing Engines

Donny Lia is Formally Honored as 2009 NASCAR Mod Tour Champion

Donny Lia Event Review

Donny Lia and the #4 team are the 2009 NASCAR Whelen Mod Tour champs.  (Jim Dupont Photo)