Tire Problems Keep Donny Out Of Victory Lane In Fall Final

Another Pole Award Means Donny Fights From The Back After Inversion

Donny Lia and his #18 Lia Motorsports, Inc. team had a solid top ten finish in Sunday‘s NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series event at the Stafford Motor Speedway.  Lia won the pole position for the annual Fall Final and finished ninth in the 150-lap main event.

However, the weekend was still a frustrating one for the team.  Early on, the felt like they had a good enough car to win, but tire problems set the team back.

“Before our pit stop, we had the fastest car on the track,” said Lia.  “We bolted on a new set of tires and then we struggled.  The ones that we put on weren’t very good.”

Several of the Modified teams have

been plagued by tire problems in recent events and the LMI team has not been exempt from the tire troubles.

“The Hoosier tires are very inconsistent” said Lia.  “Every time that you put a set on, it did something different to the car.  It was like pulling the handle on a slot machine, you just didn’t know what you would get.  It really hurts our series when we have the racing that we do because of the tires that we all have to work with.”

Lia actually credits the tires with helping him win the pole position for the event.  He feels that his team was fortunate enough came up with the right set-up for qualifying to work with the rubber that they were given. 

“The tires are so inconsistent that you need to have a perfect racecar to make up for it,” said Lia.  “We hit the set-up right for qualifying and won the pole by 3/10ths of a second.  That’s not good.  This series is more equal than that and nobody should be winning the pole by that much just because they happen to hit things right.”

Despite winning the pole, Donny had to fight from the back all day thanks to the series mandatory inversion.  (Howie Hodge Photos)

Winning the pole position, his fourth Bud Pole Award of the year, by such a large margin got people talking about the #18 team, but not always in a good way. 

“People were crying after we won the pole by 3/10ths of a second that we had traction control,” said Lia.  “That’s not true.  I was sideways down the straightaway during the race.  I’d like to know where my traction control was then.”

The critics are something that Lia could do without and he is determined not to let his team be affected by any accusations.

“My guys are working really hard and they are committed to giving their best every week,” said Lia.  “They put forth a lot of effort and it shows.  The other teams can do and say what they want, but I think that they would be better off if they spent more time working on their own cars instead of pointing fingers.”

Donny earned his fourth Bud Pole Award of the season, and second-straight at Stafford.  (Hodge)

There is only one race left in the Modified Series season.  The World Series at Thompson Speedway in scheduled for October 17th and Lia has a few goals for the last race.

“We’d like to move up in points a little bit,” said Lia.  “Right now, we’re seventh and that’s good.  But, ending the year in the top five would be even better.  Our main goal for the weekend is to win another pole and get the Bud Pole award for the season.  Ted Christopher and I are tied at four poles each so far.”

Donny Lia and his Lia Motorsports Inc. team are competing in the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series this season. For more information on the team, please contact Matthew Dillner at (704) 231–7613 and be sure to visit DonnyLia.com.