BUFFALO TWP — Forget about age.

For Chicora resident Mike Miller and car owner Ron Thompson, it's all about teamwork and production with the No. 81 Sportsman Stock car at Lernerville Speedway.

Despite the car being more than 15 years old, Miller has become a perennial contender in the Stock division.

“We've got one of the oldest chassis here,” Thompson said. “It doesn't matter. Mike knows how to get all he can out of a race car.”

Miller, 40, has been racing since 1992. He has 10 career wins at Lernerville — eight coming in the past three years while driving Thompson's car.

“He was our neighbor when I was growing up,” Miller said. “I used to come over and help his dad paint. We just became good friends.”

They became racing buddies as well, competing in lawnmower races and winning points championships at Shadetree Speedway before coming over to Lernerville.

Thompson developed some physical problems that took him out of the race game for a while. Miller wound up buying a Modified car in 2004 and trying that division for a few years.

“I needed a heart transplant and got one in 2008,” Thompson said. “I developed thyroid cancer as well. I bought a Stock for my daughter (Christina) because she wanted to race.”

A job commitment prevented his daughter from racing and Thompson had to look for another driver.

He didn't have to look long.

“Ron enjoys racing — he used to drive himself,” Miller said. “I parked my Modified and decided to drive for him. We're a pretty good team together.”

The numbers bear that out.

Since reuniting as a race team in 2009, Miller and Thompson won the Sportsman Stock points championship in 2011. They finished fifth with 347 points last year and stand third with 359 so far this season.

Miller has won eight features at the Sarver oval in the past three years. He has nine top-four finishes this season. Only AJ Flick and Corey McPherson (10 each) have more in the Stock division.

All with a car that's getting on in years.

“We know the car and Ron has a good engine builder,” Miller said. “We lost a motor three weeks ago, got as smaller one put in there and we just keep on going.”

Thompson credits Miller for taking care of the car — on the track and off.

“He spends a lot of time with in the garage every week and takes care of it over the winter,” Thompson said.

“The body's a little worn and beat up, but we clean it up a bit whenever we can,” Miller said, laughing.

Thompson raced in the Stock division from 1981-84 and was seemingly on his way to a points championship at Lernerville in 1982.

“An inexperienced driver slid up in front of me and I took a tumble,” he said. “Next thing I knew, I was on my way to the hospital. It was the first time I was ever knocked out.

“I wound up with a herniated disk.”

He certainly hasn't been immune to physical problems since. But Thompson has always been around racing.

“I just love staying in the business,” he said.

When Thompson and Miller are together, they mean business.

“We keep the car updated with rule changes,” Miller said. “I was a teenager when I started racing and I'm one of the older guys in this division now.

“It's still fun to win — and it's good to know we can do that.”

Lernerville Speedway Points Standings

(top 15 through Aug. 2)

Sprints

Brandon Spithaler 316, Eric Williams 306, Brandon Matus 297, Carl Bowser 295, Scott Priester 265, Brent Matus 257, Jack Sodeman Jr. 248, Daryl Stimeling 200, Bob McMillin 192, Dan Kuriger 185, J.McMillin/M.Lutz 178, Bill Kriley 128, Charlie Cornelius 127, Jim Shuster 108, Sheila Rankin 94

Late Models

Alex Ferree 327, John Garvin Jr. 311, Jared Miley 307, Ken Schaltenbrand 231, John Mollick 222, Jim Detman/Brian Swartzlander 218, Lynn Geisler/Mike Pegher Jr. 215, Michael Norris 212, Chuck Sarver 203, Todd Bachman 201, Chris Rhodes 155, Dave Hess Jr. 147, Dan Angelicchio 138, Garrett Krummert 133, Denton Boyer 129

Modifieds

Mat Williamson 372, Brian Swartzlander 324, Dave Murdick 304, Jeremiah Shingledecker 302, Brad Rapp 281, Rex King Sr. 269, Steve Feder 239, Rex King Jr. 233, Mike Turner 227, Carl Murdick 168, Eric Gabany 161, Tom Winkle 142, Bob Warren 141, Dave Reges 106, Jim Weller Jr. 92

Sportsman Stocks

AJ Flick 418, Corey McPherson 408, Mike Miller 359, Joe Kelley 344, Jim Fosnaught 341, Brett McDonald 321, Mark Sanders 301, Rob Shook 285, Bob Egley 280, Paul Schreckengost 257, Joey Zambotti 233, Wayne Carbo 195, Jake Simmons 194, Scott Byers 192, Brian Stivenson 171