LIA: Raising Autism Awareness at Martinsville
03-27-2008 8:58 am
Donny Lia helps raise awareness about Autism: Donny Lia's No. 71 Chevrolet will carry the colors of Autism Speaks starting at Martinsville Speedway. Lia has a close connection to a child suffering from the incurable disorder. "The Car Chief on my modified has a son who is autistic," explained Lia. "When we were looking at running at Martinsville without a primary sponsor, we decided that it would be better to offer the space to Autism Speaks to help get the word out about Autism and the need for a cure." Donny Lia on the excitement of returning to a track he's won at: "I am extremely excited. I always seem to get around Martinsville very well. It is a lot like the track I cut my teeth at, Riverhead Raceway in New York, just bigger, so it is like going home for me." Donny Lia on testing at Martinsville: "The test went really well. We learned quite a bit about our truck, and we were very competitive. You can't ask much more than that. I have to give a big thanks to my guys for working their tails off for the two days at Martinsville." Donny Lia on his goals for Martinsville: "Well after how well our test went, our expectations are higher than they have been for the past couple of races. Qualifying and pit strategy will be very important. If we can qualify inside the top-10 and play the strategy game just right, I think we will have a shot to win this race." Donny Lia on the differences between racing a modified car and a truck at Martinsville: "For me, the biggest difference is braking. Saving the brakes for the end of the race will be a challenge for me. It was surprising to me just how hard you drive the trucks into the corners, pretty much just as hard and deep as I would drive a modified there. However, you do tend to pick the throttle up a little bit later in the corner, and smoother than you would in a modified." Jason Miller on His Truck Choice for Martinsville: Jason Miller, Crew Chief of the No. 71 Chevrolet, has selected Chassis No. 74 as TRG's primary piece for the Kroger 250. "We're taking the same truck that we had at the test. It's TRG chassis No. 74, which we purchased from Michael Waltrip Racing. It had a new body put on it over the off-season by BC Race Cars and was really fast at the test." WAM Helps TRG Crewman, TRG Helps WAM: When TRG crewman, Scott Nisbet fell victim to cardiac problems at California Speedway in February, The Women's Auxillary of Motorsports, Inc. (WAM) stepped up to help the uninsured 22-year-old with his medical bills. In turn, TRG has agreed to run a decal on the No. 71 truck to help raise awareness about WAM. WAM exists on fundraising projects as well as donations to support its activities. Funds raised enable WAM to make substantial contributions to NASCAR® families in need. For more information on WAM, please visit www.waminc.org. Donny Lia To Sign Autographs in Martinsville: Donny Lia and his teammate, three-time Rolex Grand Am Series Champion Andy Lally, will sign autographs for fans on Saturday, March 29th around 12:45 p.m. at Martinsville Speedway. The duo will sign autographs at the Craftsman Mobile Marketing Unit located outside of the front stretch at the .526-mile oval.