Donny Lia Hopes for His Own “Run for the Roses” in Kentucky
Rookie Has Sights Set High for Second ARCA Start this Weekend
Last Saturday, the finest thoroughbred horses in the country were in Louisville, Kentucky, for the 132nd Kentucky Derby. This weekend, just an hour away at Kentucky Speedway, Donny Lia will be doing what Barbaro was able to do in the “Run for the Roses” at Churchill Downs. Lia wants to go into the Bluegrass State and leave with all the spoils that go to the winner of one of the most prestigious races on the schedule as he makes his second ARCA RE/MAX Series start of the 2006 season Saturday afternoon in the Harley-Davidson of Cincinnati 150.
“I’m really excited about the race in Kentucky,” said Lia, the driver of the #9 Eagle Creek Aviation Services Dodge for Hagans Racing. “The track is smooth and fast, the two things that I really like in a racetrack. There’s a lot of room to race there. It’s a big track and I think if an outside groove gets hooked up, you’re going to see a great race.
“I think we’re going to have a great race ourselves this weekend. Bobby Blount and all the guys back at the shop have been working really hard to get the car ready for this race and I’m looking forward to getting to the track and getting a strong finish out of this race.”
Although Lia drives racecars with more than 600 horsepower on a weekly basis, he isn’t much of a horse racing aficionado.
“Was the Kentucky Derby this past weekend?” said Lia with a grin on his face. “I know it was, but just like in their sport, ours is filled with preparation and that’s what I was focused on last weekend. But, I would love to be as good as Barbaro was and win it all in Kentucky.”
Donny is focused as he heads into Kentucky. (51 Photos)
Lia is ready to bounce back in Kentucky from an ARCA debut that ended in a crash near the conclusion of the event at Nashville Superspeedway last month. Since that race, Lia and the team have been preparing for Saturday’s event at the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway, preparation that was aided by a successful test at Kentucky last week.
“We got a lot of good, fast laps under us at Kentucky in the test. I think we’re at the point where we should qualify for the front row and run for the win. The team is giving me a great car and I’m confident that we can run up front this weekend.”
Practice for the Harley-Davidson of Cincinnati 150 takes place Friday afternoon with Pork Pole qualifying set for 9:45am Saturday. The green flag will fall over Lia and the rest of the ARCA RE/MAX Series field Saturday at 3pm.
For more information on Donny Lia, Hagans Racing and its driver development program, contact Matt Kentfield at (704) 455-2051 and visit www.hagansracing.com and www.donnylia.com.
