Lia wins first truck race in dramatic fashion at MMP

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Lia wins first truck race in dramatic fashion at MMP
By NASCAR.COM
May 24, 2008
03:28 PM EDT

In a race that saw a record 15 cautions with every truck on the track hobbled with some damage, rookie Donny Lia took the lead on the final lap to win the Ohio 250 on Saturday afternoon at Mansfield Motorsports Park, his first win in the Truck Series.

With 11 laps to go, Brendan Gaughan brought out the final caution with a spin and Lia was second behind leader David Starr. On the final lap, Lia bumped Starr, forcing him to the outside and Lia, Starr and Todd Bodine were three-wide going into Turn 3. Coming to the line, Lia was able to hold off Starr and Bodine for the victory.

Starr inherited the lead on Lap 80 and held it for most of the race when challenging Dennis Setzer for the lead, the two got together and Setzer went spinning up the track into the wall. Starr hasn't won a race since Martinsville in 2006 but the second moved him from 14th to eighth in the points standings.

Bodine spun on Lap 8 and was as low as 35th in the running order, but battled his way back to finish third.

Points leader Ron Hornaday had a tough Saturday afternoon. As he was battling for the lead with Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson on Lap 49, Skinner and Hornaday bumped, sending the No. 33 into the wall with extensive damage. Hornaday spent 104 laps in the garage and he finished 36th.