Donny Lia, the 2007 and 2009 Modified champion, will make his first short-track start of the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season Friday at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis. Lia's No. 07 entry will wear the bright green colors of ASI Limited, an Indianapolis based leader in the building enclosure industry.
The New York native is well-respected as one of the best short-track drivers in the country. In 2009, Lia won his first NCWTS race at the Mansfield Speedway in only his second short-track start in the series. Over the past three years, Lia has finished in the top 10 in three of his seven NCWTS starts on tracks less than a mile in length. Lia started 24th and finished ninth in his only appearance at ORP back in 2008.
Lia and the SS Green Light team have had their fair share of bad luck over the first half of the 2010 season with several very strong runs shattered by a cut tire or on-track incident, leaving the No. 07 team with added optimism for the journey to the 5/8-mile Midwestern track.
Crew chief Jason Miller feel's this could be Lia's week.
"I feel really good about Friday night. Donny is so good at the short tracks and ORP is a real drivers' track," Miller said. "He can really get up on the wheel and that's what you need at ORP.
"It's usually one of the most entertaining races of the year for the fans. There is a lot going on in Indy all weekend with all three series racing and the excitement level is high."
Lia is equally excited about Friday night's race.
"I really want to run good because it's Ken's (SS Green Light Racing owner Ken Smith) home town and his race team was based here for several years," Lia said. "I appreciate the opportunity he and Bobby Dotter gave me this year and after some of the tough luck we've had, this would be a great place to give the No. 07 a good run.
"This team has shown potential every week out and that keeps me excited to come back for the next race. The guys on this team work hard and once we get the monkey off our back I think we will finally show how good we can be."
Thirty-seven trucks are on the entry list for the AAA Insurance 200.
