Shawn Courchesne | Auto Racing

Donny Lia Scores Career Best Truck Series Finish At Martinsville

Being back in the short track element proved to be the elixir Craftsman Truck Series rookie Donny Lia needed.

After a pair of disappointing finishes to begin his 2008 campaign with TRG Motorsports, Lia, the 2007 Whelen Modified Tour champion, scored his first career Truck Series top-10 Saturday, finishing 9th in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

“We made up a lot of spots there at the end but we lost a lot of spots that we shouldn’t have,” Lia said. “I was pretty mad at myself for that. I guess that was kind of like redemption, you know, to make up those spots at the end. I think we could have had a top-10 and then we lost a slew of positions.  I got stuck on the outside.  So to come back and get a top-10, even if it was gifted back to us then you know what, hey, we’ll take it any way we can get it.” 

News And Notes From Around The Scene

A season of honoring past Modified Champions begins April 6 when the Whelen Modified Tour kicks off its 2008 season with the running of the Icebreaker at Thompson International Speedway.

At each Modified Tour event this season NASCAR plans to recognize every past Modified champion. The Icebreaker will see Frankie Schneider, Donny Lia and the late Richie Evans celebrated.

Schneider was the 1952 NASCAR Modified division winner and is the oldest living former champion.  Evans won 9 Modified titles over a 13-year span including the first Whelen Modified Tour title in 1985. Evans had already clinched the title in 1985 when was killed during a practice session at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Lia, who is now running on the Craftsman Truck Series, won the Whelen Modified Tour championship last season for Mystic car owner Bob Garbarino.

Our Little Piece Of Interweb Real Estate Is Growing Up So Fast

They said it couldn't be done.

A racing blog, at the Hartford Courant? Nobody is going to look at that.

Ok, so maybe it's just a few select friends hitting refresh over and over and over and over again, just don't tell the management types here our little secret.

Yes, its a big day at our treasured little piece of undervalued web space here, our little blog is growing up.

Joey Logano Itching To Get Back Behind The Wheel In Competition

Joey Logano might be a phenom behind the wheel of a racecar, but he’s not a good racing fan.

May 24 can’t come quick enough for the Joe Gibbs Racing developmental driver from Middletown. That’s the day he turns 18 and becomes eligible to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Logano will make his Nationwide Series debut May 31 at Dover International Speedway. Until then he pretty much, grudgingly, has to play the part of racing fan.

Chuck Hossfeld Returning To The Seat Of The Mystic Missile On The Modified Tour

In 2002 Chuck Hossfeld arrived on the Whelen Modified Tour after a tough experience in the Craftsman Truck Series with Roush Racing.

When things didn’t work out with Roush Racing for the Ransonmville, N.Y. driver, it was Mystic car owner Bob Garbarino who gave him a shot to run the Modified Tour.

Now, in a twist of irony, it’s Hossfeld stepping in for Garbarino, who lost his championship driver to the Truck Series.

Hossfeld announced Wednesday that he will return to the Modified Tour in 2008 driving for Garbarino, who won the 2007 Modified Tour championship with driver Donny Lia.

Thawing Out From SpeedwayExpo 2008

Yes, the numbness has finally subsided enough in my fingers that I am able to type again.

I was kindly requested to take part in an “Anger Management” dunk tank event last weekend at SpeedwayExpo in West Springfield, Mass. And being the good sport that I am, I obliged.

Friday evening, with a band of onlookers gathering, I took my seat in the dunk tank.

Unfortunately I was never told that part of the allure of the dunk tank experience is the humiliation of sliding some pour sap into a bucket of ice cold water. Now I’m not going to purport my big toe to have some magical meteorological powers, but suffice it to say, the toes were telling me the water temperature was somewhere in the low 50’s.

Ricky Carmichael To Run For Ken Schrader In The Camping World East Series In 2008

Motocross legend Ricky Carmichael will be running for a championship this season in the Camping World East Series for Ken Schrader Racing with backing from Hendrick Motorsports, his manager Scott Taylor said Thursday.

Carmichael will be sponsored by Monster energy drink.

Carmichael, 28, who retired from full-time motocross racing after 2006 is trying to make his way up the rungs of the stock racing ladder.

Carmichael had been under contract as a driver last year with former Sprint Cup Series team owner Bobby Ginn and raced about 15 Late Model events around Florida last summer.

No Better Place For The Race Fan To Be This Weekend Than SpeedwayExpo At The Big E

For local race fans of most 4-wheeled disciplines the place to be this weekend will be the Big E in West Springfield, Mass.

The Eastern States Exposition grounds is the site from Friday through Sunday of the biggest racing show in New England, SpeedwayExpo, in the Mallory Complex on the Big E grounds.

There’s something for everyone at this year’s event.

The Mallory Complex will be brimming with displays from race tracks, to racing divisions and exhibitors selling racing items that run the spectrum from collectibles to the newest in top line racing gear.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Heads South To SpeedwayExpo Friday-Sunday

Race tracks of all shapes and sizes will take center stage this weekend at SpeedwayExpo at the Eastern States Exposition grounds, but none bigger than New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

New England’s only super speedway will be on display showcasing the diverse assortment of cars that compete at the 1.058-mile oval in Loudon, N.H.

Donny Lia Looking For Speed In The Golden State In Craftsman Truck Series

Donny Lia, the 2007 Whelen Modified Tour champion, was a little slow getting up to speed in practice today at the newly renamed Auto Club Speedway of Southern California as he prepares to make his debut as a full-timer in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Lia was 30th of 35 trucks in the first practice session Friday for Saturday’s San Bernardino 200 at the old California Speedway. Lia, from Jericho, N.Y., moved up to 28th in the second session.

Lia will drive this season in the Truck Series for TRG Motorsports where he will team with accomplished Sports Car racing veteran Andy Lally.