BUFFALO TWP — All that’s missing is collecting the winner’s trophy.

Brett McDonald has been involved with Lernerville Speedway in virtually every other way.

The 26-year-old Saxonburg driver of the No. 25 Sportsman Stock car has been racing here for nine years and is still chasing his first career feature victory.

“I’ve finished second six or seven times, I’ve won heat races, been a consistent placer ... It just hasn’t happened for me yet,” McDonald said.

Lernerville has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. His mother’s great uncle was Earl Bauman, one of the original owners of the track. She was also one of the first ticket takers to work there.

Larry McDonald, Brett’s father, is a former Semi-Late and Late Model driver who won 12 features during his career, which involved many tracks.

“We only live a couple of miles from here,” Brett McDonald said. “I came here all the time when I was a kid. All I ever wanted to do was race a car here.”

Now all he wants to do is win a race here.

“That’s the missing piece,” McDonald admitted.

The No. 25 car did find its way to victory lane earlier this season — with Jason Fosnaught behind the wheel. McDonald had to attend a meeting in Pittsburgh that day and couldn’t get to the track.

McDonald has finished no lower than sixth in a Lernerville Sportsman Stock feature so far this season. He has a third and fourth-place finish to go with three sixths in 2015.

“Brett drives the car well, but does back off sometimes as opposed to being aggressive,” his father said. “He wants to keep the car clean, of course, but that mode of driving prevents him from trying to shoot through a hole at times.

“I think he’ll get one done here before too long. He’s capable and Jason won in this car, so the car is capable.”

McDonald said the depth of quality cars and drivers in the division make it that much more challenging to reach Victory Lane.

“Every week, there’s so many cars on the track good enough to win,” he said. “You have to get the right breaks sometimes. Get a good starting spot, have the lapped traffic work for you, things like that.”

McDonald sees himself staying in the Sportsman Stock division for the foreseeable future.

“If if wasn’t for my mother and father, I wouldn’t be racing at all,” he said. “It takes a lot of money just to run a Stock, let alone what it would cost to race in another division.”

Larry McDonald said his son needs to conquer his current competitors first.

“Until you win in the Stocks, there’s no sense even looking any higher,” he said. “We’ve still got work to do here.”

Lernerville Points Standings

(top 15 through May 22)

Sprints

A.J. Flick 185, Brandon Spithaler 157, Brandon Matus 156, Ed Lynch Jr. 153, Carl Bowser 140, Brent Matus 130, Scott Priester 115, Ralph Spithaler Jr. 103, Dan Kuriger 96, Sye Lynch 93, Zach Morrow 86, Davey Jones 81, Dan Shetler 75, Jack Sodeman Jr. and Jim Morris 66

Late Models

Alex Ferree 172, Jared Miley 167, Mike Pegher Jr. 156, Russ King 141, Michael Norris 134, Kenny Schaltenbrand 125, Gary Lyle 111, John Garvin Jr. 104, Brian Swartzlander 103, Todd Bachman 97, Dan Swartzlander 93, Clayton Kennedy 78, Chuck Sarver 74, Doug Eck 71, John Mollick 65

Modified

Mat Williamson 185, Brian Swartzlander 173, Rex King Jr. 160, Garrett Krummert 148, Dave Murdick 145, Rex King 119, Mike Turner 118, Steve Feder 117, Shawn Fleeger 115, Jeremiah Shingledecker 103, Rick Regalski 92, Tom Winkle and Carl Murdick 84, Jeff Miller 62, Tom Glenn 61

Sportsman Stocks

Corey McPherson 208, Jim Fosnaught 187, Brett McDonald 179, Joe Kelley 175, Wayne Carbo 169, Terry Young 167, Mike Miller 165, Bob Egley 151, Joey Zambotti 151, Aaron Easler 132, Jeff Miller 125, Paul Schreckengost 123, Scott Byers 112, Colin Burke 89, Noah Brunell 79