BUFFALO TWP— Some might call him the "other"Swartzlander.

His cousin, Brian Swartzlander, has won 51 career features and three Modified points championships at Lernerville Speedway.

His father, Dick Swartzlander, won two Late Model points crowns at the Sarver track and has 476 career feature wins spread over numerous tracks.

Dan Swartzlander, 44, may not be able to match the racing numbers compiled by such relatives, but his numbers aren't too bad, either.

The Sarver driver has been racing for 26 years, has nearly 35 career feature wins and earned back-to-back points championships at Marion Center in 1988-89.

But he's never won at Lernerville.

And if he ever does?

"Seeing Dan win here would be the ultimate for me," his father said. "We'll keep trying. He has the ability. He's just never had the equipment."

Dick Swartzlander owns the No. 3 car, which became the second car for the race team when it was bought new during the off-season.

Dan Swartzlander has raced at a number of tracks over the years — Thunder Valley, Hagerstown, Elkins and Syracuse to name a few — but plans to run the entire 2007 Lernerville schedule.

His father raced for 48 years before retiring three years ago.

"When I turned 75, my kids told me I had to quit," Dick Swartzlander said, laughing. "Now I mainly help out Dan. We race on my Social Security check, with a little help from sponsors."

Dick Swartzlander's first wife died a few years ago. He's been married to Audrey — his wife's best friend — for nearly three years.

"She totally supports our racing,"he said. "Audrey's the one who told me to step up Dan's program financially. She said there are no pockets in caskets, so I might as well use the money here."

Dan Swartzlander tallied only 103 points in the Late Model division at Lernerville last year, though he only raced part of the schedule.

This year, he's already accumulated 120 points and has won a heat race.

"Racing is so much more competitive here than it is anywhere else,"Dan Swartzlander said. "One second is the difference between finishing first and 10th in a feature here.

"Our equipment's gotten better. But without the updated knowledge, it's tough to compete."

Swartzlander said Late Models have changed so much that any knowledge of the division 15 years ago is pretty much worthless now.

"The new shock package, for example. ... Knowing how to adjust them and when to adjust them is everything," he said. "If you miss on that, you're not going to win."

While Alex Ferree has dominated the Late Model field so far this year, Swartzlander pointed out that the Saxonburg driver's set-up has been on the money.

And it hasn't been by accident.

"(Crew chief)Fred Bratchie's been to chassis school seven years in a row,"Swartzlander said. "That costs $300 a year. That's a new set of tires to us.

"Most drivers change their tires every week. We change ours every four weeks. That's just the way it is."

Swartzlander has a number of people helping out in the pits, but only his father and Jim Buterbaugh are able to be there on a consistent basis.

"We don't have enough people to effectively keep two cars ready to race,"Dick Swartzlander said. "But we're working on that."

Just like his son is working on his first appearance in victory lane at Lernerville.

"I think we can get into the top five,"Dan Swartzlander said. "I don't know if we have the knowledge or the funds to win.

"Believe me, we want to get there. Anyone who's not out on that track with the desire to win shouldn't be out there. But with us, it's gonna take some time."

Lernerville Point StandingsTop 15 through June 1SprintsEd Lynch Jr. 222, Kevin Schaeffer 211, Rod George 171, Carl Bowser 169, Dan Shetler 159, Gary Rankin 144, Scott Priester 143, Brent Matus 134, Ralph Spithaler 125, Dan Holtgraver 1290, Charlie Holben 116, Arnie Kent 113, Scott Bonnell 105, Mike Shearer 97, Davey Jones 85

Late ModelsAlex Ferree 265, Mike Blose 185, Gary Lyle 181, Lynn Geisler 179, Jared Miley 178, Nick Jones 173, Dutch Davies 172, Sam Stile 156, Matt Lux 137, Ken Schaltenbrand 120, John Mollick 113, Greg Satterlee 107, Chuck Sarver 103, John Garvin 95

ModifiedsBrian Swartzlander 213, Del Rougeux Jr. 208, Kevin Bolland 199, Dave Murdick 162, Jim Weller Jr. 152, Tom Winkle 151, JRMcGinley 151, Mike Turner 132, Carl Murdick 128, Jeremiah Shingledecker 128, Steve Feder 108, Skip Moore 104, Shawn Kozar 90, Andy Prierst 78, Phil Evans 74

Pure StocksMike Pegher Jr. 232, Joe Kelley 220, Jason Fosnaught 219, Bob Eglery 218, Greg Beach 202, Butch Lambert 190, Paul Schreckengost 186, Bob Lipinski 176, Terry Young 164, Jim Fosnaught 140, Wayne Carbo 138, Jake Ayers 137, Chuck Gebauer 114, Pat Hanley 113, Stan Riggle 101