The way Mike Franko sees it, if it's not broke, don't fix it.

The Butler Road Race, now in its 33rd year, will have no major changes or alterations, just the race hundreds of people have come to expect.

And that's a good thing.

"You're always learning something every year," said Franko, president of the Butler Road Race. "You think of things when you wrap up every year ... but things always pop up.

"You can only tweak things so much. You can mess things up. Since we're the longest continuous running race in the area, people pattern themselves after us,"Franko added.

This year's Butler Road Race 5-Mile and 2K Run-Walk will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday in front of the Butler County Courthouse.

"We expect those coming to be taken care of," said Franko. "Come race day, it's in the hands of the Lord, weather-wise. Everything just falls into place."

Last year's 5-mile champion, Jake Walker, who broke the course record with a time of 24 minutes, 34 seconds, returns to defend his title.

Walker, 20, of Ellwood City, also won the race in 2004.

"Jake's coming off an excellent season at Notre Dame," said Franko. "The scuttlebutt is he'd like to break the record again. Whether he does it on his own or someone challenges him, you always like to see a good race. We'll see what happens."

Chris Geddis, 22, a Seneca Valley graduate who finished second to Walker last year, is back as well.

Also expected Saturday is Tammy Slusser, 43, who saw her streak of five consecutive titles come to an end last year. In all, the Monroeville resident has won eight BRR competitions.

Other masters division racers scheduled to compete in either race include Tim Monfre of Butler and Mitch Radella of Cranberry Township.

The preliminary number of applicants seems to be near the norm, Franko said.

"We'll end up with about 500 total," said Franko. "We normally get around 125 to 150 on race day. That's really not too bad."

Other items of note:

n All competitors age 11 and under who finish the race will receive a certificate for their achievement.

n Bill May of Butler will be recognized for his long history with the race. May will take part in his 32nd BRR event, having missed just one race.

"We'll take a minute or two and see if anyone else was present back in 1976 when it started," Franko said.

n Race packets can be picked up at Consolidated Communications (formerly Penn Telecom) at 212 S. Main St. in Butler from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday or on race morning in Diamond Park, across from the courthouse. The ChampionChip will still have to be picked up Saturday morning for all participants.

• The usual post-race beverages and fruit will be served, and vendors will be selling running apparel

• The Texas Roadhouse's Family of 4 or More feature will return. After the race, each family of four or more participants will be given a $25 dining certificate to the Clearview Mall restaurant.

While the amenities are nice, it's the Butler Road Race that still sells itself.

"Most everything is a 5K and people want a flat, fast 5K with beer and pizza and wings after the race," said Franko. "We offer some things, but if people want a longer race, they can do the 5-mile or do a shorter mile-and-a-quarter run.

"We still have one of the most exciting finishes, coming up on Main Street."