BUFFALO TWP — Starting up front in a race is not one of Tim McCreadie’s favorite things.

Of course, there are exceptions.

The Watertown,. N.Y., driver started in the first row at Saturday night’s Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway and led all 100 laps in capturing the $50,000 winner’s check. This is the first year the race was sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

McCreadie began the race from the first row, alongside pole-sitter and Series points leader Brandon Sheppard.

“I’m never comfortable starting up front, especially in a long race like this one,” McCreadie said. “The drivers behind me could see how the track was changing and could adjust their lines accordingly.

“I didn’t know what was going on that way. I just made sure I didn’t stay with the same line the whole race. I switched up from time to time to try to read the track.

“I like this place. Lernerville has a quality racing surface. If you have good tires, you can always pass here,” he added.

Of course, McCreadie didn’t have to worry about passing on this night — only about being passed.

Brandon Overton, last year’s Firecracker 100 winner, did his best to get around him, but had to settle for second. Overton, who started fifth, was more than two seconds behind McCreadie for much of the race before closing the gap on the final lap. He lost by 0.459 seconds.

Lap traffic continually delayed Overton’s push for the front while McCreadie was able to navigate his way through. The race had only three restarts, the last one occurring with 43 laps remaining.

“I could have used a cleaner track,” Overton admitted. “But if I couldn’t win this, I’m glad Timmy did. He’s a good guy and he ran a good race.”

McCreadie also won the Firecracker 100 in 2019. Saturday’s win was his fourth of the season in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

“I love this place, love the atmosphere,” McCreadie said. “I probably had a beverage with half the people here at some point this weekend.”

Mike Marlar, bidding to become the first driver since 2013 (Josh Richards) to win all three Firecracker 100 features on the same weekend, finished third. Overton took home $20,000 for second place, Marlar $10,000 for third.

“We had a great weekend,” Marlar said. “In front of huge crowds like this, being on the podium for three races and winning two of them ... Anybody would be happy with those results.”

There were 13 states represented among the 29-car Firecracker 100 field.

Dan Stone won the Uncle Sam 30- — the Firecracker 100 non-qualifier race —but turned down the $2,000 prize money for an opportunity to tag the field in the Firecracker 100 feature. Stone did not finish the Firecracker in the money.

The second through fourth-place cars in the Uncle Sam 30 — Colton Flinner (Allison Park), Tyler Dietz (Saxonburg) and Ken Schaltenbrand (Sarver) — are local drivers.

Former Lernerville Speedway regular Gregg Satterlee finished ninth. Of the 29 cars to start the race, 17 finished. All of the local drivers in the feature — Matt Lux, Alex Ferree, Michael Norris and John Garvin Jr. — bowed out early.

Norris, a Sarver resident, won his heat race Saturday. He was one of nine drivers registered to compete in the Firecracker and in the Bill Emig Memorial, the 50-lap RUSH Late Model feature.

“We did it last year, but it’s tough on a hot night like this,” Norris admitted. “But we’ve been getting better. Hopefully, the track doesn’t get rubbered down (for the Emig Memorial) so you can’t pass.”

Norris wound up seventh in the Emig Memorial, won by Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla., for the second straight year. Whitener finished 10th in the Firecracker 100. He received a $5,000 diamond ring along with the $20,000 first prize.

Whitener led the 50-lap race from wire to wire.

“This is awesome,” he said. “When I came up on lap traffic, I knew I couldn’t leave the corner. I had to race there until someone caught me. Then I’d have to figure out how to race with them once they did.”

But no one caught him.

There were 10 states and Canada represented among the 56 RUSH Late Models on hand this weekend. The $20,000 payout marked the highest for that division in the Northeast.

“It’s a good, respectable series,” Whitener said. “They check the motors, shocks, tires, everything. It’s clean competition.”

The $258,000 in prize money doled out by Lernerville over the weekend marked the most in the track’s history. The 56 Late Model cars vying for spots in the Firecracker 100 were the most since 2013.

Lernerville results

June 25

Firecracker 100

1. Tim McCreadie (Watertown, NY), 2. Brandon Overton (Evans, Ga.), 3. Mike Marlar (Winfield, Tenn.), 4. Brandon Sheppard (New Berlin, Ill.), 5. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, Fla.), 6. Ricky Thornton Jr. (Adel, Iowa), 7. Garrett Alberson (Las Cruces, N.M.), 8. Daulton Wilson (Fayette, N.C.), 9. Gregg Satterlee (Indiana), 10. Mark Whitener (Middleburg, Fla.)

11. Chris Ferguson (Mt. Holly, N.C.), 12. Hudson O’Neal (Martinsville, Ind.), 13. Jimmy Owens (Newport, Tenn.), 14. Rick Eckert (York), 15. Tyler Erb (New Waverly, Texas), 16. Ashton Winger (Senoia, Ga.), 17. Spencer Hughes (Meridian, Ms.), 18. Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, N.C.), 19. Jonathan Davenport (Blairsville,. Ga.), 20. Chub Frank (Bear Lake)

21. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, Tenn.), 22. Jared Miley (Pittsburgh), 23. Ross Robinson (Georgetown, De.), 24. Charles Powell (Brookville), 25. Matt Lux (Franklin), 26. Alex Ferree (Saxonburg), 27. Dan Stone (Thompson), 28. Michael Norris (Saxonburg), 29. John Garvin Jr. (Sarver)

Uncle Sam 30

(top 10 finishers)

1.Dan Stone (Thompson), 2. Colton Flinner (Allison Park), 3. Tyler Dietz (Saxonburg), 4. Ken Schaltenbrand (Sarver), 5. Daryl Charlier (Bulger), 6. Doug Drown (Wooster, Ohio), 7. Gary Lyle (Leechburg), 8. Logan Zarin (Moon Twp.), 9. Cory Sines (Orwell, Ohio), 10. Trevor Collins (Seaford, De.)

RUSH Late Models

Bill Emig Memorial

(top 10 finishers)

1. Mark Whitener (Middleburg, Fla.), 2. Joe Martin (Punxsutawney), 3. Dillon Brown (Gaffney, S.C.), 4. Logan Roberson (Waynesboro, Va.), 5. Michael Duritsky Jr. (Masontown), 6. David Pangrazio (Elba, N.Y.), 7. Michael Norris (Sarver), 8. Colton Flinner (Allison Park), 9. Kyle Lukon (Burgettstown), 10. Will Thomas (Sharpsville)