Donny Lia

Driver – No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet

• Hometown:    Jericho, NY
• Residence:     Huntington, NY
• Marital Status:    Single

Career Highlights

Reigning Whelen Modified Tour Champion Donny Lia is embarking on his first season of NASCAR competition in the Craftsman Truck Series with accomplished Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series team TRG Motorsports. As a teammate to three-time Grand Am Rolex Champion Andy Lally, Lia will pilot the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado under the guidance of first-year crew chief Jason Miller.

Just as TRG entered the NASCAR realm with a stacked list of accomplishments, Lia brings his own lengthy resume to the collaboration. 

Having spent nearly the last 10 years racing around his native New York and the Northeast region, Lia started things off with a bang. He burst onto the Legends scene at Wall Township Speedway, tallying several wins including the track’s biggest draw, the Turkey Derby.

In 2001 he made the move to the NASCAR Modified division, claiming the Rookie of The Year honors.

In 2003 he ran the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series schedule finishing top 10 in points and again claiming top rookie honors. The following year he claimed five pole awards, the most of any other modified driver. Over the next three years, he went on to win multiple events across various modified divisions.

In the midst of his modified success Lia was faced with his first opportunity to pilot a stock car attempting to qualify for an ARCA RE/MAX Series event in Nashville in 2006. Despite his extracurricular runs, it didn’t take away from his focus on his modified career. It seems that his first taste behind the wheel of a stock car may have in fact been a motivator.  Lia went on to capture a combined handful of poles and race wins through the remainder of the season.

Lia took no prisoners during the 2007 Whelen Modified Tour season. He claimed six race wins, the most of any driver, en route to becoming the series’ 60th champion.

Riding the wave of his winning momentum Lia made his Craftsman Truck Series debut last September in New Hampshire driving for Bill Davis Racing. He started the race 35th but charged through the field to tally an impressive finish of 20th his first time out.

Though the season was winding down, Lia’s time in the Truck Series was just picking up. He closed out the season for HT Motorsports as a teammate to Terry Cook in the season finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Ending the 2007 racing season on a high note, Lia also met now crew chief at TRG Motorsports Jason Miller. Miller was calling the shots in Homestead for Lia’s temporary teammate Terry Cook.

In 2008 Lia will run as a teammate to three-time Grand Am Champion Andy Lally for the entire Craftsman Truck Series schedule behind the wheel of the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado for TRG Motorsports. The team is in their first full season of truck competition after branching off from their Grand Am roots. Last season owner Kevin Buckler and Lally ran three truck events to get a jumpstart on the 2008 season. It was announced just one week before Daytona that Lia would be onboard with a second entry.

Aside from his on-track prowess behind the wheel of a racecar, Lia also has a passion for racing remote control cars.

Did You Know?

In November 2007 he opened his own RC center in his home state of New York, 360 Speedway & Hobbies.