BUFFALO TWP — During the first half of this season, Greg Beach couldn't find victory lane.

Now, his peers are struggling to keep him out of it.

The 29-year old resident of Chicora captured the checkered flag in Friday night's Pure Stock feature at Lernerville Speedway, his fourth victory in the last five races.

The only driver to beat Beach in that span was Mars' Butch Lambert, who took first place in the event July 28.

"Coming into this season, my car was all brand new," said Beach. "It was just a matter of figuring out how to handle it.

"Every car is different and I guess I just had to sort the bugs out. That's how it is."

Beach started in fourth place behind pole sitter Jason Fosnaught, but claimed the lead on the sixth lap of the 15-lap event.

Late in the race, Lambert managed to push Beach for the lead, but the latter stayed high on the turns to claim victory.

"I gauged (the turns) from the start," Beach said. "A lot of the guys were staying low, but it didn't seem to be helping them, so I stayed high the whole time.

"The track was pretty slick," he added. "It was probably the slickest it's been in five or six races. It was a battle out there."

The win was Beach's 11th career at the track.

Lambert led Beach by 53 points (372-319) for the Pure Stock points title entering Friday, but that gap has been closed by Beach's latest triumph.

Beach has two more nights of points racing to reach his first title at Lernerville.

• With Sprint points leader Ed Lynch Jr. a no-show Friday due to a competition in Tennessee, the rest of the field had a chance to gain ground on the 'Apollo Rocket', and Kittanning's Kevin Schaeffer took full advantage.

Schaeffer trailed Lynch in points 340-315 before winning on Friday night. He also won his heat race, giving him a 352-340 lead over his rival.

"We've got two weeks left," said Schaeffer. "I'm sure Ed will end up passing us up. But I was just hoping to win tonight while he wasn't here."

Schaeffer led all 25 laps of the race, which yielded his third win at Lernerville in 2006 and his 11th overall.

• Kevin Bolland has won here before, but this victory took on a bit deeper meaning.

Bolland, whose mother is currently in the hospital receiving treatment for leukemia, didn't have the lead until the 25th and final lap of the Modified feature, then held off Jim Weller for the win.

"I've been at the hospital with my mother all week," said Bolland, of New Brighton. "I haven't worked on the car at all. I owe all of that to my team. They did the work."

Weller took over the lead from pole-sitter Jeremiah Shingledecker on lap five and held it until Bolland passed him up on the first turn of the final lap.

"I didn't worry about the other cars," said Bolland. "I just had to make sure I hit my mark."

Bolland now has 37 career wins at the Sarver oval, putting him in sixth place for all-time victories.

• Mike Blose's margin of victory in the Late Model feature was as close as they get.

Blose overtook points leader Lynn Geisler on the 22nd lap and survived a late push by Franklin's Matt Lux, taking the checkered flag by a mere .058 of a second.

Blose began the race near the middle of the pack in 12th position.

Gary Lyle held the lead for the first five laps, followed by Sam Stile (6-12) and Geisler.

Geisler placed fourth in the race while Saxonburg's Alex Ferree managed third place.

Notes: Mars' Tom Winkle started the Modified Feature 16th, but finished a strong third ... There were 89 cars in the pits, including a high of 29 Late Models and a low of just 16 Sprints ... This coming Friday will feature another night of Fab Four racing along with a demolition derby.