When you run inconsistently, the best you can do is run inconsistently.

 That's pretty much what locals Bobby Gerhart and Kyle Martel have been up against this season when it comes to racing on the ARCA stock-car circuit. Although they have been relatively competitive when they've been on the track, Gerhart and Martel have encountered difficulties finding their grooves against teams which are running every event.

 Gerhart, for example, has started five of the ARCA circuit's ten races this season and currently stands 23rd in owner points. With just two 2010 starts under his belt, Martel is 43rd in the points race.

 "It puts us behind the eight-ball," said Gerhart of his limited schedule. "They're (ARCA regulars) in the driver's seat. We end up losing a little practice time. Each year, practice time seems to be getting shorter. We have less and less time to do more and more."

 "They (the regulars) get to race every other weekend," said Martel. "We race sporadically. We're always at a disadvantage."

 What Gerhart and Martel also share is a shortage of funds caused by a lack of major sponsorships. Until the economy rebounds and businesses open their advertising purse strings, things don't figure to change any time soon.

 "I'd like to put myself in position to run for an ARCA championship," said Gerhart, 52. "I'd like to and I'm going to stay active until it happens. It's not just a personal decision. It's an economic decision. We're going to continue on the way we can, until we get added support from a sponsorship.

 "We're not in a positive economic swing right now," Gerhart continued. "I'd like to look in a crystal ball and see when things are going to get better. But we're not going to make it happen by sitting here. I've got to be as active as I can. We certainly have people talking to us."

 "No, there's nothing really in the works," said the 22-year-old Martel of his pursuit of a major sponsorship. "There's been talk, discussions, no committments, no progress. A lot of people have called and asked.

 "We may do five races, or six or seven, next year," Martel added. "But we may also dabble in two Camping World Truck Series races. That's kind of the next step for up-and-coming drivers. It's an awesome series."

 This weekend is one of those rare ones when Gerhart and Martel will actually be competing on the track - in the Weis Markets 125 on Pocono Raceway's 2.5-mile tricky triangle. They will attempt qualifying Friday afternoon, while the race will go off Saturday at 3 p.m. and be televised live on Speed Channel.

 "We've got a great car for Pocono," said Gerhart. "We've got a lot more horsepower than we've ever had.

 "The race is going to be a little bit shorter, only 50 laps," Gerhart continued. "There's going to be strategy of when you pit and how you pit. We have a plan to be running up front at the end of the race. It may be aggressive, but I feel we have to take chances to win the race."

 "We'd love a top ten, but we're down about 75 to 100 horsepower to other teams," said Martel. "It's kind of a different ball game because the race has been knocked back from 80 laps to 50 laps. We'll see how the weekend plays out. We have an excellent car prepared.

 "The goal is to pretty much follow through with our game plan and don't get caught up in other people's game plan," Martel continued. "I think the car is capable of finishing in the top 10. Hopefully we can qualify in the top 15, top 10 and run there the whole race. It's going to be a 50-lap shootout."

 Gerhart's season has been predicated on winning Daytona, which he did in February for a record sixth time. In his other four starts, the best finish he could muster was a single top-ten.

 "Any time you can start off and win Daytona, it's a good season," said Gerhart. "I spend a great part of my resources on Daytona. Daytona is my Indy 500. I just try to stay active the rest of the year. But I can't afford to prepare for other races like I do Daytona. From where I sit, I see a whole different thing when I win Daytona."

 Martel's two 2010 starts resulted in a 12th-place finish at Talladega and a 13th-place showing at Pocono in June. Last year at Pocono, Martel ran 18th and then 10th.

 "It's an excellent feeling," said Martel of his Pocono success. "Bobby Gerhart is known for his superspeedway package and has run there umpteen times, and last year we finished right behind him. That should say something.

 "I'd love to run Talladega again," added Martel. "I'd love to go to Chicago. I'd love to go to Rockingham. We'll race Pocono, and we'll end up with five total starts. That's exactly what our plan was. And we held true to that."

 Gerhart's plan for the rest of the season calls for him to run 1.5-mile tracks at Kansas, Chicago and Rockingham. It was a plan forged at the beginning of the year.

 "Given our economic situation, I saw us going to ten races," said Gerhart. "And that's what we're going to end up doing. If we can be on the winning side of the coin, I'll take it.

 "It's the nature of the way it is," continued Gerhart. "I made the decision to run the races we could afford to run and to run as competitive as we can."

 "There's one thing holding us back and that's a primary sponsorship," said Martel. "Our budget is one-third of what other teams spend. It's nice to know you can just go out there and run."