BUFFALO TWP — The big stage is nothing new to Michael Norris. He’s been on it before.

Now the Sarver resident and former two-time Lernerville Speedway Late Model points champion wants to land on the biggest stage, despite cutting back on his frequency at the track.

The 16th annual Firecracker 100 takes place Saturday night at Lernerville and Norris has his eyes on victory lane. He’s finished among the top 10 in the 100-lap race multiple times, including a fifth-place finish two years ago.

“We used to be really busy, get to as many races as we could,” Knoch graduate and long-time Norris crew member Dakota Bruggeman said. “We were traveling all over the place.

“Now we pick and choose where we race and when we race.”

Norris, who turned 30 last month, won points titles at Lernerville in 2017 and 2018. He’s won two preliminary Firecracker 100 features and finished second in two others. He has 33 career feature victories at the Sarver oval.

But none this year — here or anywhere.

Norris has a pair of runner-up finishes at Lernerville this season — including this past Friday. He’s also raced at Eldora and Port Royal in 2022 with no appearances in victory lane.

“We don’t get out every weekend anymore,” Norris said. “There’s a lot of factors there. As you get older, life changes. There are other commitments. And it’s not getting any cheaper to do this.”

Bruggeman pointed out that racing fuel has gone up $200 a barrel this year. A barrel holds 55 gallons and “we probably burn 10 gallons on a racing night,” he said.

“That doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up in a hurry,” Bruggeman added.

The reduced schedule doesn’t mean Norris is any less serious about racing. The third-generation driver is as into the sport as he’s ever been.

“Believe me, the passion is still there,” he said. “One of the reasons we’re not at the track every weekend is we won’t go if we feel like we’re not ready to compete. Any time we’re here, we’re preparing the car to win.”

Norris has been driving the same No. 72 car since 2016. He will have that car on the track this weekend. The car’s XR1 chassis “will be the oldest XR1 in the field at the Firecracker 100),” Bruggeman said.

He knows the car and he knows the track as well as anybody. He’s just uncertain that’s an advantage anymore.

“Everybody’s getting faster and we have to work hard to keep up,” Norris said. “We have to look to get faster ourselves. That’s a constant.”

Still, Norris won five features at Lernerville in 2017. He won nine at the Sarver track in 2018. He goes by the nickname “The Crusher” for a reason.

“Anytime you have Michael Norris behind the wheel, you like your chances,” Bruggeman said.

“We haven’t won, but we haven’t been running badly, either,” Norris said. “We’ve been pretty good lately. Hopefully, we’re putting things together at the right time.”

Brandon Overton is the defending Firecracker 100 champion. Scott Bloomquist (2007, 2012, 2016) is the only three-time winner of the event. Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, Calif., is the current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader with 3,880. Sheldon Haudenschild of Wooster, Ohio, is second in points and has seven Lucas Oil Late Model feature wins this season.

FIRECRACKER 100

Previous Winners

2021-Brandon Overton, 2020-Cade Dillard, 2019-Tim McCreadie, 2018-Chris Madden, 2017- Brandon Overton, 2016-Scott Bloomquist, 2015-Rick Eckert, 2014-Darrell Lanigan, 2013-Josh Richards, 2012-Scott Bloomquist, 2011-Jimmy Mars, 2010-Shane Clanton, 2009-Jimmy Mars, 2008-Brian Kirkofer, 2007-Scott Bloomquist

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

(top 10 in points through June 18)

Car # listed 1st

1. 49 Brad Sweet 3,880; 2. 17 Sheldon Haudenschild 3,838; 3. 2 David Gravel 3,832; 4. 41 Carson Macedo 3,828; 5. 1S Logan Schuchart 3,808; 6. 15 Donny Schatz 3,732; 7. 5 Spencer Bayston 3,702, 8. 83 James McFadden 3,640, 9. 1A Jacob Allen 3,540; 10. 3Z Brock Zearfoss 3,418