BUFFALO TWP — The Firecracker 100 weekend got underway Thursday night in front of a packed house at Lernerville Speedway.

There were 54 Late Models and 56 CRATE Late Models in the pits. Late Model features Thursday and Friday nights pay $6,000 to win with the Firecracker 100 winner getting $50,000 Saturday night. The Bill Emig Memorial CRATE Late Model feature Saturday pays $20,000 to the winner.

Mike Marlar started Thursday’s feature up front with Ashton Winger. Marlar stayed up front and became the first Lucas Oil Dirt Series winner in Lernerville history.

Late Model heat winners Thursday night were Winger, Earl Pearson Jr., Brandon Overton, Marlar, Tyler Erb and Freeport graduate John Garvin Jr. Sarver resident Mike Norris finished third in his heat racer and qualified for Thursday night’s feature, where he started 17th.

Chub Frank flipped his car on the eighth lap of the feature, but was unhurt. He was running seventh at the time.