BUFFALO TWP - He doesn't dream of victory lane or of points championships.

John Durci's goals are much more basic.

The Modified driver from Sarver would gladly settle for consistent finishes among the top 10 at Lernerville Speedway.

"We're a work in progress," he said. "Learn as you go."

Durci, 39, is in his fifth year of driving his No. 34 Modified. He's on his second car - both used - and his wife and father, along with relative Billy Spencer, comprise his pit crew.

Durci and his wife of 16 years, Ruth Ann, live only four miles from the track.

"I've always been around the sport," Durci said. "My cousin, Eddie Brown, runs a Modified here and I've helped him. A couple of my uncles were into drag racing and I've been around that.

"Eddie let me run hot laps down here one time. After that, I went looking for a car," he added.

"It kinda surprised me," John Durci Sr. said of his son getting behind the wheel of a racecar. "I mean, he rode go-karts as a kid, but never raced them.

"This isn't something I envisioned him doing, but he's working hard at it. And it's fun being back here (in the pits) with him," he added.

Durci has never finished higher than 10th in a feature, doing so twice this year. He has never won a heat race and stands 15th in Modified points with 131 entering action tonight.

"This has been my best points year," Durci said. "I try to improve a little each week. We try different things, learn what works and what doesn't.

"Other than a couple of smaller sponsors, we do everything out of pocket. If I blow a motor, I'm done. Other than that, we can replace parts and keep going," he added.

Durci is driving a four-year-old car this year. During his first four years of racing, he raced a 1994 Modified.

Brown and Durci drive the same type of car so they can share parts when necessary.

While he is having his best points year, Durci remains more than 200 points behind veteran drivers Dave Murdick, Jim Weller Jr. and Kevin Bolland.

"I know I need a bigger motor, a little better equipment and more sponsorship to really make a move in this division," he said. "But I'm staying clean on the track and I'm getting faster.

"If I can start placing in the top 10 regularly, maybe I can attract a few more sponsors."

Durci appreciates the help and support he does have. The words "Special Thanks: Ruth Ann" are on the car, as are similar words thanking his father.

On the back of the No. 34 are "The Lollipop Gang," followed by the names of his seven nieces and two nephews.

"We have no children, but the whole family comes out here to support John," Ruth Ann Durci said.

His two brothers, Paul and Brian, help in the pits when their work schedules allow it.

Everybody's behind him on this," John Durci Sr. said. "And he's getting better."

It's Durci's ability to drive on the highway that convinced his wife he could drive on the racetrack.

She checks the tire pressure in the racecar, cleans it off and gets his starting assignments and other information from the board.

"I've been OK with this from the start because I know what a good driver he is," she said. "I've seen him get out of sticky situations on the road when we could have been in an accident, but he's avoided it.

"I figure if he can do it on the road, he can do it in a race car."

Her husband has succeeded in developing a racer's mentality.

"If he has a bad night, he's OK with it," Ruth Ann Durci said. "That's part of racing. You take the bad with the good."

Durci only hopes he can someday succeed in a feature.

"It may never happen, but, sure, I'd love to win one," he said. "But we have things in perspective. We'll never take out a second mortgage to continue racing."

Lernerville Points Standings

Top 15 through July 30

Sprints

Ed Lynch Jr. 370, Rod George 336, Kevin Schaeffer 331, Chad Hill 317, Arnie Kent 291, Dan Shetler 247, Gary Rankin 232, Mike Shearer 224, Charlie Holben 220, Gary Kriess Jr. 198, Brent Matus 189, Davey Jones 172, Jerry Matus 159, Jimmy Weller III 158, Cory Good 133

Late Models

John Flinner 325, Gary Lyle 296, Chuck Kennedy 288, Nick Jones 288, Lynn Geisler 276, Doug Eck 257, Bob Wearing Jr. 249, Tom Kitchen 210, Rob Kosecki 209, David Scott 198, Ken Schaltenbrand 188, Jeff Henry 157, Chris Schneider 157, Ron Davies 152, Keith Zimmerman 140

Modifieds

Dave Murdick 368, Jim Weller Jr. 348, Kevin Bolland 345, Brian Swartzlander 312, Tommy Marshall 256, Tom Winkle 245, Carl Murdick 229, Gary Risch Jr. 227, J.R. McGinley 173, Lonny Riggs 155, George Hobaugh 146, Gary Risch Sr. 140, Del Rougeux Jr. 136, Mike Sutton 134, John Durci 131

Pure Stocks

Joe Kelley 365, Rob Shook 351, Greg Beach 349, Butch Lambert 333, Paul Schreckengost 290, Dave Spangler 260, Mike Turner 243, Scott Bochek 226, Nike Reges 219, Jeff Bastin 200, Jason Fosnaught 198, Doug Graham 198, Mike Pegher Jr. 193, Bob Egley 188, Bob Lipinski 170