BUFFALOTWP — Robbie Bartchy had never competed in a Sprint car race before.

The 29-year-old Saxonburg resident had never competed in any type of automobile race, actually.

So choosing to make his Sprint racing debut in a United States Auto Club wingless series event — an event more hazardous than a regular Sprint race — seemed strange, indeed.

"I just couldn't wait any longer,"Bartchy said.

A 1995 Knoch High School graduate, Bartchy has wanted to race at Lernerville for as long as he can remember. He has been competing in the Grand National quad series and in harescrambles at Switchback in Butler the past three years.

He also has served as a member of Cabot resident Bill Kiley's No. 4K pit crew for the past 12 years.

"Robbie can handle a car,"Kiley said. "He's taken mine out for hot laps before and did fine.

"I'm not surprised he's here. I know how badly he wants to race"

This past off-season, Bartchy bought a Sprint car formerly owned by Davey Jones. He had been unable to race it because of conflicts in his work schedule.

Bartchy drives a gasoline truck for BPOil.

"You talk about dangerous — that's dangerous, especially these days,"Bartchy said. "People can be crazy out there.

"I work two Friday nights each month and this is the first Friday I've had off to go racing. I didn't care that it was a wingless race. That wasn't gonna stop me."

A broken fuel line did, however. Bartchy noticed he was leaking fuel on the track just before his heat race, so he pitted for the night.

"It's disappointing," he said. "But I'll be back."

Bartchy and Kiley are sharing the same pit crew this season.

Bartchy will be available to race at Lernerville only a few times this season.

"It'll be hit and miss," he said. "I'll race a couple of times at Mercer, too. I'm just going to ease my way in. I won't try to be a hero or anything.

"This is just a hobby for me. That's how I'll treat it. That's why it will stay fun."