BUFFALO TWP — Underneath the No. 1 on the side of Randy Hanovick’s Sportsman Stock race car is the word “Terminator.”

That’s not because the Mars driver is aggressive, angry or ornery. He’s none of those things.

“It’s because I’m part robot,” Hanovick, 45, said.

Hanovick underwent hip replacement surgery on both hips on Feb. 10, 2010, and figured his brief four-year racing career was over.

“I do tile and marble work, a lot of wear and tear, and it caught up to me,” Hanovick said. “I found out that December I needed it done.

“I figured my race career ended with me going out on top.”

Hanovick reached victory lane in the season’s non-winners race in September of 2009, the last night of Lernerville’s racing campaign. It remains his lone career feature victory.

When he learned of his impending hip replacements, he and wife Suzanne put their motorcycles and Hanovick’s race car up for sale.

“We had that stuff on sale for more than a year,” Hanovick said. “My wife and I rode motorcycles together, but she said she’d sell hers if I had to sell mine.

“We had no serious offers on the car, but we got a good offer on her bike. She just couldn’t part with it.”

Just like Hanovick couldn’t part with the idea of returning to the race track.

Working one-on-one with Jennifer Guardino from Keystone Rehabilitation in Mars, Hanovick spent three months of rehab through exercise, stationary bike and treadmill work.

He spent one week at the Harmarville rehab facility when he was supposed to spend two.

“I became self-sufficient again after a week. Once I reached that point, the insurance wasn’t gonna pay anymore,” Hanovick said.

He missed all of the 2010 race season — on the track. He was still in the stands each week, donning a head-set so he could keep in tune with what was happening on the speedway.

“I still belonged out there. I could feel it. I had to make it happen,” Hanovick said.

Despite his wife’s concerns — she still makes him call home after every race with a health report — Hanovick returned to action this season. He had a larger seat put in the car to make himself feel more comfortable.

Suzanne Hanovick would normally be in the stands and back in the pit area with her husband. The couple’s five-year-old German Shepherd, Chief, had knee replacement surgery four weeks ago and she’s busy nursing the dog back to health.

“Chief has a 12-week recovery period there, then he gets the other knee replaced,” Hanovick said. “Suzanne’s gonna be tied up for a while.”

In the meantime, a crewless Hanovick — who works on his own car with help from neighbors in the pits — has modest goals of finishing among the top 10 in points and finding a way to victory lane.

His car is a 1978 Camaro with a 2008 chassis.

“It’s good enough to win,” he said. “Put Chris Schneider or Joe Kelley in this car and they’d drive it to victory lane fairly regularly.

“I’ve still got a lot of rookie in me. This is a challenging division with a lot of good drivers. A top 10 points finish would be a huge achievement for me.”

Hanovick’s career-high points finish is 12th.

Lernerville Speedway2011 Points Standings(top 15 through June 4)SprintsDanny Holtgraver 133, Brandon Matus 115, Carl Bowser 114, Brian Ellenberger 102, Kevin Schaeffer 100, Rod George 96, Gary Rankin 87, Brent Matus 82, Jimmy Light 72, Brandon Spithaler 68, Jack Sodeman Jr. 65, Sheila Rankin 64, Brian Steinman 53, Lindsay Enscoe 44, Bobbi Rankin 43

Late ModelsDave Hess Jr. 133, Gregg Satterlee 127, Jared Miley 126, Boom Briggs 103, Dave Murdick 98, John Garvin Jr. 90, Jim Detman/Brian Swartzlander 89, Doug Eck 87, Mike Pegher Jr. 83, Ken Schaltenbrand 79, John Flinner 77, Chub Frank 75, Bryan Force 52, Gary Lyle 52, Mike Johnson 50

ModifiedsJeremiah Shingledecker 112, Brian Swartzlander 106, Kevin Bolland 104, Dave Murdick 104, Dean Pearson 80, Jim Weller 73, Mark Frankhouser 72, Phil Evans Jr. 72, Mike Turner 69, Steve Feder 64, Carl Murdick 61, Shawn Fleeger 45, Brad Rapp 36, Don Brown 33, Brian Weaver 27

Sportsman StocksCorey McPherson 132, Rob Shook 131, Paul Schreckengost 109, A.J. Flick 109, Mike Miller 101, Wayne Carbo 101, Jim Fosnaught 100, Bob Egley 85, Joe Kelley 80, Brett McDonald 80, Mark Sanders 71, Chris Schneider 70, Randy Hanovick 65, Terry Young 63, Troy Jeuther 62