Lia and the truck series

[The Bullfather]

Congrats on Donny Lia getting a ride with the 59 truck team. More info to come and sponsors! Just heard it on Speed TV. Anyone have anymore information, is it a full ride? It sounded like it.

[LongIslandJam]

Congrats Donny! I know you take it by a race-by-race basis, but I guess that focus pays off. Nice work!

[The Bullfather]

Of course there's no information, but HT Motorsports website.

http://www.htmotorsports.com/cms/index.php

[Mortgage Guy]

From my brother I know the following: BDR has set an alliance with Harris Trucking Motorsports and will be assisting the development of Donny Lia. He will be running the final race at Homestead in the truck, and has a tentative deal to run the truck for the 2008 season. Good luck Donny!!!!!

[LongIslandJam]

And that's confirmed via Donny Lia's forums

http://www.motorsportslounge.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/20965/

[concordcharlie]

Donnie Lia is driving the 59 truck.

[unowho243]

That's awesome!

[The Bullfather]

Now who will wheel the Mystic Missile in '08?

[RGeeProductions]

The team is to announce it's Championship retirement at the awards banquet.

[Mortgage Guy]

Way to go out on top for both of them in the series. Good luck to Donny and support that sponsor, they sell the water at GNC.

[Ace]

Congrats Donny on getting the truck ride! Good luck:applause:

[catfish]

Darn, I really do hope those colors are for this year only, as it is a hideous thing to look at.

[Mortgage Guy]

Really, I like the way the truck looks. What color would you suggest Catfish??

[Jaws]

Darn, I really do hope those colors are for this year only, as it is a hideous thing to look at.


Yeah, that white is a pretty crappy color?????????

Come on Catfish, Donnie Lia, who used to race at Riverhead Raceway is getting a Truck ride!

That's what we should focus on!

Good luck to Donnie!

[nitros77]

It looks pretty good to me, good luck Donny, kick some a$$. PS: If ya need seat filler for that # 18 Huntington Honda ride, I am available anytime, lol.

[catfish]

I am all for the fact Donny got a truck ride, its a great opportunity for him and i congratulate him on that, I just personally don't care for the looks of the truck, just my opinion which i am allowed to have as this is America. As far as how I would want it to look I don't really know i would need to see the product first, but in advertising you want something appealing to grab your eye and draw you to that product over another and again JMHO that aint gettin it done

[btgoss]

Well I am with you Catfish, that truck looks like a bad NR2K3 paint scheme.

There is a weird vibe here sometimes with Lia, but as the most recent "local boy made good" he sometimes gets a high degree of "homers".

I am glad he got the ride. I think his Modified championship was an excellent example of everything coming together. On one hand you had a great team that never really got it together, and on the other hand you had a decent driver, who while he always fielded top flight equipment, could never find consistent success. Combined it clicked, and they dominated the tour.

Is this the situation he is getting into now? I don't think so. The team has never been a consistent threat to win, the addition of BDR and TRD will help, as those are the hot ticket in the trucks right now, but I do not think they will provide him what he needs to win. He needs a team that is ready to win right at the start, and this isn't it.

For his sake I hope that is not the case, but only time will tell. More drivers will be running Toyotas next year, so the instant advantage that it presents will be diminished. All signs point to this not being the springboard he needs. But let's be honest, David Starr and Brendan Gaughan have made a nice career at being perennial "almost's", so the trucks can support another one, right?

[The Bullfather]

Terry Cook has had some good runs in the past with the team. Cook is good driver, but things didn't click the second half of the year.

I agree about the paint scheme, it's not impressive at all! But it's not about the paint, it's about how fast the driver can get around the track and see the checkers first! But with the paint scheme it kinda looks the team like second teirs behind the big boys. If you notice most of the teams running ahead of field, have that high professional look to their cars or trucks. With the exception of Johnny Benson! A lot of the R and D cars/trucks don't seem to go high dollar for the racing decals and paint. I wish all the best and will be rooting for Lia in the Craftman Truck Series and hope he turns some heads!

[top row crew]

Good luck Donny, no matter what the truck looks like.:cheers::cheers::cheers:

[LongIslandJam]

NEXTEL Cup drivers who made their start in the Trucks:

Kyle Busch
Kevin Harvick (with an "ok" team Spears Manufacturing)
Carl Edwards (with a subpar team - Mittler Brothers)
Kurt Busch
Denny Hamlin (with a subpar team - EJP)
Greg Biffle
Jamie McMurray (with Mittler Brothers)
David Ragen (with Tom Eldredge)
Tony Raines
Scott Riggs

It's definitely possible to move up from the Trucks to the big leagues through hard work and making an impression with a subpar team.

Donny's got some good support through Bill Davis Racing and Toyota. If I was going to drive anything in the trucks, driving a Toyota is definitely an advantage.

Either way, let's just think this year. I think Donny's going to turn some heads this year, and we'll see:)

[The Bullfather]

Cook out, Lia in at Homestead; Simply Fit to sponsor: Jim Harris and HT Motorsports have announced that Simply Fit, a sugar free, carb free, fat free premium beverage, will serve as the primary sponsor on the #59 HT Motorsports Toyota. The #59 Simply Fit HT Motorsports Toyota Tundra and driver Donny Lia will take the green flag in the Ford 200 at Homestead Miami Speedway this Friday, November 16.(HT Motorsports PR)(11-14-2007)-jayski.com

[Ace]

That TOYOTA truck of Donny's looks good to me. Good luck in the race and go get 'em in 08!

[catfish]

Benson leads Happy Hour: #23-Johnny Benson was the fastest in the final practice session for the Ford 200 at Homestead with a speed of 171.358 followed by #5-Mike Skinner second, #27-Jacque Villeneuve third, #60-Jack Sprague fourth, #22-Dave Blaney fifth. Rounding out the top ten were #21-Jon Wood, #92-Terry Cook, #2-Kevin Harvick, #51-Kyle Busch, #8-Chad McCumbee. Two slowest were #7-Jason White, #59-Donny Lia after hitting the wall during practice. There were 41 trucks on track for the final session. Complete final practice speeds are posted on the Homestead Miami Race Page.(11-16-2007)

[The Bullfather]

Terry Cook will be racing a second HT Motorsport truck this weekend.

[Mortgage Guy]

Yeah, they said he had a bad vibration and then I think I tire went down and he hit the wall. He was just under 1 sec off the pace in all practices, but I don't think they made a qualifying run. They were working on the truck to hopefully not have to go to a back up. Hopefully his day finishes better than it started.

[maestri fan 1]

Donny is starting 35th, I think he will do well regardless. Congrats again to him.

[Dwight Clock]

Good luck to Donny! He needs to get his laps in and get comfortable in the truck. Next race is at Daytona in February.:cheers: