BUFFALO TWP — No feature wins to speak of. Not even a top-10 finish.

Late Model driver Mike Norris of Sarver, who just completed his sophomore year at Knoch High, isn't alone in being wet behind the ears in the racing game.

His entire team is.

Norris, 16, has a pit crew comprised of 16-year-old classmates Brandon Rau and Zach Schwartz, as well as Curtis Holben and Butler resident Jeremy Speicher, both 15.

The only one with any experience working on a racecar before this season is Norris himself, who helped his father for a few years.

Norris' father, also named Mike, raced a Late Model for 19 years. He won a points championship in 2006 at Latrobe Speedway and owns 14 career feature wins at Lernerville Speedway.

"I'd been involved in racing for 27 years," the elder Norris said. "The fun went out of it for me. It became too much like another job."

So, he turned his two No. 72 Late Models over to his son — with one stipulation.

"He had to put together his own crew,"he said. "I come to the track and point them in the right direction. Those guys do the work."

The elder Norris sits in a lawn chair in the back of the trailer, watching the newly constructed team learn on the fly.

"I've never worked on a race car before,"Schwartz admitted. "But Mike and I have been friends for a long time. He asked for my help, so I'm giving it to him."

Rau said he's been friends with Norris since sixth grade.

"He asked and I answered,"Rau said. "Going into this, I didn't know anything. Now I'm really into it. Learning about the set-up, preparing the car, the chassis — it's become a lot of fun."

In previous years, the younger Norris rode dirt bikes with his friends, but he always yearned to get behind the wheel of his father's Late Model.

When his dad decided to give it up, Norris got himself ready.

"Dad took me to Donnie Moran's driving school (in Dresden, Ohio) last September,"Norris said. "I've been doing stuff with (his father's) cars since I was 4. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to race."

His grandfather, Dave Norris Sr., and his uncle, Dave Jr., are his main sponsors. His grandmother, Marlene Norris, and other grandfather, Gary Lilly, contribute to the team as well.

Bill Fahrney, who worked on his father's pit crew, is still around lending the younger Norris a hand, as well.

But when it comes to turning wrenches and changing tires, the teens take care of that.

"These guys are my buddies and I asked them to help me," Norris said."They know how badly I wanted to do this. It's been an experience for all of us."

One of the No. 72 cars is set up to run at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, the other at Lernerville Speedway.

Norris was involved in an accident his first night at PPMSand that car was idle while it was being repaired.

At Lernerville, Norris stands only 20th in points with 51. The division's leader, Zelienople's John Flinner, has more than three times that many points.

"We haven't been very lucky in point draws at Lernerville,"Norris said. "But I've finished 16th twice after starting in the back.

"Last week, I started 24th and got up to 12th before blowing a right rear tire. All I want to do is improve each week, finish higher than I did the week before."

Norris has lofty goals in racing down the road. He wants to be able to compete with the World of Outlaws Late Models and run in the Summer Nationals "at least one time."

"I'm in it for the long haul," he said.

So are his friends.

"As long as he wants us around, we'll be around,"Schwartz said.