When it comes to the offseason rumor mill concerning the fate of Whelen Modified Tour teams, Bob Garbarino’s Mystic Missile team is almost always a constant topic.
Donny Lia celebrates victory in the Whelen Modified Tour Fall Final 150 Sept. 29 at Stafford Speedway (Photo: Darren McCollester/Getty Images for NASCAR)
And even before the end of the 2013 season, the rumor mill was churning with speculation that Garbarino’s team wouldn’t return to action in 2014.
That speculation was only fueled more when the team’s driver Donny Lia, after finishing second in the Whelen Modified Tour season finale on Oct. 20 at Thompson Speedway, said he wasn’t sure if Garbarino was coming back next year.
Monday Garbarino said there’s nothing to be made of any of the rumors.
“There’s a lot of rumors out there,” Garbino said Monday. “I see things as normal for next year. But I have no control over the rumors and what people have to say.”
Asked if the plan for 2014 was to run for a championship again with Donny Lia Garbarino said: “That’s my plan.”
Garbarino has won three Modified Tour championships over the last six seasons in the division. He won titles in 2007 and 2009 with Lia behind the wheel and in 2010 with Bobby Santos III driving for him.
Lia finished third in the Whelen Modified Tour standings in 2013 and was the hottest driver in the division down the stretch with a third, a victory and a second place over the final three events of the year. Lia’s lone victory of the season came in the CarQuest Fall Final at Stafford Motor Speedway on Sept. 29.
Soooo glad to hear they’ll be back..
Looks like the tour could come close to being a one horse race…..
they need a new spotter if they wanna win the championship…
A true icon in the NASCAR modified tour! The tour should feel very fortunate to have people like Bob Garbarino support the division. Good luck in 2014!