BUFFALO TWP - Rob Kosecki never planned on racing a Late Model.

But when opportunity knocked, the Leechburg resident and former Pure Stock driver wasn't going to ignore it.

"A guy gave me a great deal on a chassis, (veteran Late Model driver) Gary Lyle helped me out with the motor and putting the car together and off we went," Kosecki said.

Kosecki, 38, had been pretty comfortable in a Pure Stock at Lernerville Speedway. He had won 17 features between here and Challenger Raceway over a five-year period. He finished second in points at Challenger and third in points at Lernerville in 2001.

On the verge of chasing a Pure Stock points championship, Kosecki switched divisions. He's been adjusting ever since.

"Just trying to get the chassis hooked up is the biggest deal," Kosecki said. "The car was always together. I don't think I've been driving it hard enough.

"Late Models get around the track three or four seconds faster (per lap) than a Pure Stock. That takes some getting used to. There's so much more traction. These cars are built to race.

"In stocks, you're taking a car off the streets and adjusting it to race. This (Late Model) division is all race. The motor has no limit. How much money do you have?," he added.

Kosecki's No. 36D is now up against the likes of John Flinner, Lynn Geisler, Nick Jones, David Scott, etc.

After finishing eighth in points in 2002, Kosecki slipped to 14th last year in a hard-luck season.

"We broke the motor and missed a few nights," he said. "Dumb things kept happening to us. I was ready to quit. But I always told myself I would never quit after a bad year."

Strapped for money, Kosecki found financial help in the form of a friend, Larry Peters, who offered to take over the chassis to ease Kosecki's monetary burden.

So far this year, Kosecki is 10th in points at Lernerville, has won a heat race and finished as high as third in a feature at Latrobe.

"I have more peace of mind on the track now," he admitted.

"It takes a few years to be ready to challenge in this division," Lyle said. "The competition is so good and the cars are so different. Nothing beats experience.

"Rob is coming on. He's not far away from winning at all."

His brother, John Kosecki, has been Kosecki's crew chief throughout his eight-year racing career. Dave Sharrer, a co-worker at Allegheny Power for 10 years, and friend Tom Kendal round out his steady race crew.

Their racing today is much different from when they started years ago.

"A bunch of us were sitting in a bar one night and decided we had to try to get in one of those (Pure Stock) cars," Kosecki said. "If we want to compete now, we have to stay on top of the game.

"We have a 1998 chassis, our motor was first built in 1997 … We're about five years behind the Flinner's and the Jones's."

But like his brother, John Kosecki is happy to be working on a Late Model.

"There are so many more moving parts, so much more you have to keep up with," he said. "There's a lot more thinking to this now. You can't ever relax."

Kosecki kept the No. 36D at Lyle's garage during his first year of Late Model competition.

"I can't begin to describe how much help he was," Kosecki said.

"You want to keep everybody on the track going straight," Lyle said. "Everybody helps each other in this sport. It helps the quality of racing and Rob's a good guy."

If everything breaks right on a Friday night, he may soon be a winning guy as well.

"I don't think he's that far away," John Kosecki said.

"Our chances would be better at another track, where there's a more level playing field," Rob Kosecki said. "All of the best Late Models around come to Lernerville.

"Winning someplace else isn't the same as winning here. And winning here is our ultimate goal."

Lernerville Speedway Points Standings

(top 15)

Sprints

Ed Lynch Jr. 115, Chad Hill 108, Kevin Schaeffer 91, Rod George 83, Gary Rankin 82, Arnie Kent 81, Dan Shetler 72, Scott Bonnell 57, Brent Matus 54, Scott Barris 48, Mike Dehner 48, Davey Jones 47, William Kiley 41, Mike Shearer 41, Jack Sodeman Jr. 40

Late Models

John Flinner 112, Ken Schaltenbrand 98, Gary Lyle 87, David Scott 86, Doug Eck 85, Ron Davies 76, Chuck Kennedy 66, Dave Norton 66, Matt Lux 64, Rob Kosecki 62, Jim Dandy 59, Scott Gurdak 55, Lynn Geisler 55, Nick Jones 54, Jeff Henry 49

Modifieds

Brian Swartzlander 88, Jim Weller Jr. 78, Dave Murdick 75, Lonny Riggs 73, Gary Risch Jr. 54, Tom Winkle 53, Tommy Marshall 52, Del Rougeux Jr. 51, J.R. McGinley 44, Kevin Bolland 44, Carl Murdick 43, Pete Simpson 39, Joe Crawford 38, Carl Weatherby 31, Eddie Brown 30

Pure Stocks

Joe Kelley 107, Bob Lipinski 103, Greg Beach 103, Rob Shook 91, Butch Lambert 81, Jason Fosnaught 78, Gary Norman 70, Paul Schreckengost 70, Mike Turner 65, Herman Bertolini 63, Bob Egley 60, Dave Spangler 60, Nick Reges 50, Lenny Wright 50, Doug Graham 41, Jeff Bastin 41