BUFFALO TWP - Ed Lynch Jr. is right on schedule.

The driver of the No. 2L Sprint car led the feature from wire to wire Friday night at Lernerville Speedway in recording his 76th career victory there.

Lynch also became the first two-time feature winner at the Sarver track this season in any division - and he did so the week before the World of Outlaws Sprints come to town for a two-day show.

"We wanted to try some different engine combinations tonight to see how they worked," Lynch said. "We worked with the motor and got better as the night went on.

"It felt like I was fast out there. I'll have to check our lap times to know for sure."

He was fast enough that Rod George, who started ninth, but took over second place by the ninth lap, couldn't mount a challenge for him. Neither could Ralph Spithaler, who finished third after starting eighth.

"It's tough to run down Ed," George said. "We were good tonight. We just weren't good enough."

While Lynch owns four feature wins this season - two each at Lernerville and Sharon Speedway - George owns four as well.

The Kittanning driver has won twice at Mercer, once at Tri-City and once at Lernerville. He hasn't finished worst than third at the Sarver track yet this season.

"This is definitely one of my best starts to a season," George said. "It usually takes me the first half of the year to figure things out."

Spithaler was racing for only the second time this season. The Evans City driver's race team is still recovering financially from losing two engines last year.

"We're working our way back," Spithaler said. "I'm a little rusty yet, but I'm happy with our finish tonight, especially since we didn't get new tires put on before the race."

Spithaler isn't certain he'll be among the local drivers competing with the Outlaws next weekend.

Lynch, of course, will be.

"The car felt good on turns 1 and 2, but it didn't feel very good on (turn) 4," Lynch said. "You've got to be totally hooked up to stay with the Outlaws.

"It's going to be a different feel running back-to-back nights with them. They (Outlaws) will have a definite advantage Saturday because it gives them a second shot at dialing (the track) in."

In other Lernerville features Friday:

Nick Jones of Pittsburgh won his eighth career Late Model feature at Lernerville and his first since May 9, 2003. He had the pole and led throughout the rain-shortened 10-lap race.

John Flinner of Zelienople finished second after Bob Wearing Jr. of Renfrew, who was running second, rode too high off the fourth turn of Lap 7, hit the wall and flipped his No. 1W. Wearing wasn't injured.

Two other Late Model drivers, John Mollick of Toronto, Ohio, and Jim Kurpakus of Leechburg, flipped their cars during the heat races. No injuries were reported as both men climbed out of their cars under their own power.

Kevin Bolland of New Brighton won his 28th career Lernerville Modified feature, tying him with Dick Rankin for seventh on the track's all-time list.

Bolland had the pole for the race and led for the first 15 laps. Jim Weller Jr., who started seventh, got around him on the 16th lap, but got stuck behind the lapped car Zack Moran of New Castle on the back straightaway of Lap 18.

Bolland darted back in front of Weller and got the victory.

"My car began pushing up toward the end of the race and Jimmy got around me," Bolland said. "I had to try the bottom and got some good bite down there."

Bolland ran the bottom around Turn 2 as Weller stayed up top and was slowed by Moran.

Bob Egley of Kittanning won his first career Pure Stock feature at Lernerville. He started on the pole, but slipped behind Bob Lipinski on the first lap.

Egley got the lead back on Lap 5 and wasn't challenged the rest of the way. He had won 11 school bus races at Lernerville before finally reaching victory lane in his third year with the Pure Stocks.

"It seems like it's been 10 years," Egley said. "I can't believe it."

Notes:

There were 102 cars in the pits. … Wearing had come from the last starting spot to finish third in his heat race and started the feature in the front row before flipping the car. … Pure Stocks will join the Outlaw Sprints on the card next Friday night. The Sprint feature will be 25 laps and pays $5,000 to the winner. Sprints will be the only division racing Saturday. The feature will be 30 laps and pays $12,000 to the winner. Time trials begin at 7:15 p.m., racing at 8 both nights.