BUFFALO TWP — Sam Stile has nothing against animals, but he wanted the monkey off his back.

The veteran Late Model driver at Lernerville Speedway had not won a feature at the track since April 2007.

That is, until Friday.

Stile, of Charleroi, led all but one of the laps of the 25-lap feature to claim his first checkered flag in more than a year.

His previous best finish this season was a fifth-place effort.

"I told the one guy, it was a guerilla," Stile said with a smile. "The Pittsburgh Zoo just got off my back.

"It wasn't for lack of effort," Stile said of his victory drought. "We have the best of everything, but we have to get back to winning."

Saxonburg's Alex Ferree, who won his heat race and placed second in the feature, led for the first lap of the race.

Cranberry Township's Lynn Geisler briefly took over the second spot on lap 21 before settling for seventh place.

A total of 15 caution flags plagued the action, but Stile kept his focus, leading from the second lap on.

"I was happy to get up front and not get passed up," said Stile. "When you're out front, you don't have to drive like a maniac."

Stile began the night with 174 points, in 13th place in the standings and 132 behind the leader, Ferree.

• Rod George came into Friday's race with the most top five finishes at Lernerville this season in the Sprint division (seven), but had just one victory to show for it.

But after taking the lead on the fifth lap, he wasn't going to let win No. 2 slip away.

The Kittanning driver passed up Evans City's Ralph Spithaler following a caution flag and held off Butler's Brian Ellenberger, who managed his best effort in 2008 with second place.

Spithaler ended up fourth in the 25-lap race.

George had placed second once already this season and was third in two other races.

He began the night by winning his heat race and had the pole position for the main event.

"It's just been one of those years," he said. "There have been a few nights when I was leading on the last lap and lost it.

"But it's great to win. The crew did a fantastic job."

• Like Stile, Jim Weller, Jr. picked up his first win at the Sarver oval this year in the Modified feature.

Weller, of Hubbard, OH, finished in front of runner-up Jeremiah Shingledecker and Kevin Bolland, who both won their heat races.

Weller was second behind Bolland July 4.

Brian Swartzlander led the points standings coming in with 290, but finished 17th in the 25-lap event.

• In the Street Stock feature, Mount Pleasant's Joe Kelley increased his point lead over the rest of the field by earning his third victory of 2008.

Kelley also won his heat race.

The feature, which was 20 laps, saw Saxonburg's Wayne Carbo place second.

Carbo has managed no worse than fourth place in three of the last four weeks.

Chicora's Greg Beach placed fourth.

Notes: There were 95 cars in the pits, with a high of 27 Late Models and a low of 20 Modifieds. ... Lernerville will host a World of Outlaws Sprint event Tuesday night before Fab Four racing returns Friday.