Lia Wins Modified Tour Title, Christopher Takes Thompson Win

Second Championship In Three Years For Long Island Driver

THOMPSON, Conn. (Oct. 25, 2009) – Donny Lia led the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in victories in 2009, but in the end, it was a fourth-place finish in the season finale Sunday in the World Series of Speedway Racing presented by Xtra Mart that was enough to give the Jericho, N.Y., native his second Tour championship in the last three years.

Defending Whelen Modified Tour champion Ted Christopher won the race by 1.187-seconds over Ryan Preece, but Lia’s finish was enough to give him the title by 16 points over Preece. It was the closest championship margin since 1996 when Tony Hirschman edged Steve Park by 12 points.

Christopher took the lead for the final time from Lia on Lap 132 and led the rest of the way. However, Christopher was mathematically eliminated from championship contention when the field took the green flag Sunday afternoon. He finished third in the standings, 89 points behind Lia.

In the 25th season of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Lia joined Mike Stefanik (seven), Tony Hirschman Jr. (five) and Jimmy Spencer (two) as the only drivers to win the championship more than once. In addition, he gave car owner Bob Garbarino his second championship in three seasons. Garbarino had fielded the No. 4 “Mystic Missile” in Modified competition since 1961 for some of the biggest names in the division’s history without winning one until Lia broke through in 2007.

“It feels completely different than the first time we won the championship,” Lia said. “One isn’t really better than the other, it’s just different, I can’t really explain it.”

Lia left in 2008 to run the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series before returning to the seat this season. He won four times in 2009, with victories at Tour staples Thompson, Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, as well as the inaugural visit to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Lia took the points lead for the first time in 2009 with the win at Stafford in the next-to-last race of the season on Oct. 4, but it was a slim 26-point advantage over Preece. After a scheduled week off, the World Series was supposed to run on Oct. 18, but weather postponed the event a week and prolonged the wait for the championship contenders.

“It really feels good to do it [win the title],” Lia said. “I feel like I’ve been walking around with a 100-pound dumbbell on by shoulders for two weeks now, so it really feels good to get it over with.”

Although Preece finished just 16 points back of the championship in just his third Whelen Modified Tour campaign, the runner-up effort on Sunday – his 19th birthday – was his Tour-high eighth podium finish of the season.

“I’m just happy to have a great season,” Preece said. “When we first got in the [number] 3 car, a lot of people had doubts, but we’ve grown as a team and I’ve grown as a driver. I’ve learned a lot, learned to be patient. I really just want to win races, I wanted to win this one bad today.”

Doug Coby finished third in Sunday’s race, followed in the top 10 by Lia, Rowan Pennink, Chris Pasteryak, Erick Rudolph, Kevin Goodale, Ron Silk and Woody Pitkat.

Christopher led twice for 93 laps, while Lia led twice for 57 laps. Lia started on the pole after rain washed out Coors Light Pole Award qualifying Saturday.

The win was the third of the season for Christopher, his ninth triumph at Thompson and his third in the season-ending World Series. Now with the 34 career wins, he is now one victory shy of tying Hirschman for fourth on the Whelen Modified Tour career list.

“It was a great way to end the season,” Christopher said. “I’m glad we ended it like that, winning this race. That car was really, really fast and I was pretty happy with it. Our strategy worked perfect.”

As a touring series champion, Lia earned a protected starting position in the prestigious NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown to be held on Jan. 29-30 at California’s Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. The seventh running of the event, which is run in NASCAR Camping World Series cars, brings together the top racers from across North America for the “Daytona 500 of short-track racing.”

Next up for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams is the NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala in Concord, N.C. on Saturday, Nov. 14 at which Lia and the rest of the touring series champions will be honored.

For more information, contact:

Jason Cunningham, NASCAR Public Relations, (704) 201-6658 or jcunningham@nascar.com