BUFFALO TWP — Finding good fortune doesn't always mean it sticks around.

Sprint car driver Brandon Spithaler of Evans City and Modifier driver Dave Murdick of Butler could attest to that Friday night at Lernerville Speedway.

Spithaler, the defending Sprint points champion, has endured a rough season. He entered Friday night with only three top-five finishes and no feature wins at the Sarver oval.

He drew a front-row starting spot for the feature and was battling Brandon Matus and Eric Williams for the lead midway through the race when he suddenly pulled his No. 22 car into the infield.

“The engine was overheating,” Spithaler said. “We just put it in and we're down to our last one. There was no way it was going to finish the race and I had to be cautious.

“We had a long stretch of green flag racing and it was up to 250 degrees. I had to call it a night.”

Matus wound up winning the feature after starting fourth. It was the fourth career Lernerville win for the Wampum driver, who just turned 20, and his second of the season.

“The car's been good all year. The breaks just haven't been going our way,” Matus said. “I was thinking earlier tonight, I have never won here more than once in any year.

“It feels good to get this one.”

Carl Bowser of Sarver, the 2014 points leader, started 10th and finished second.

“That's nothing to hang my head about,” Bowser said. “It's tough to pass people here. You have to take time and set them up.

“Brandon was really good tonight. He deserved this race.”

Spithaler just wishes he could have stayed on the track.

“The car was fast. It was hooked up pretty good,” he said. “I think I might have had something for him.”

Murdick has had a solid year in the Modifieds with two wins and eight top-10 finishes. He started in the front row, but trailed Brian Swartzlander early.

Swartzlander, who started in the fourth spot, sailed too high off the first turn on the eighth lap, handing the lead to Murdick.

“I thought I saw a car spinning, wanted to avoid it and took my eyes off my lane,” Swartzlander admitted. “I just missed the turn.

“When I came back on to the track, I figured I'd be fifth or sixth. I was surprised I was still second. But if nothing happens to Davey, he wins this race.”

But something did happen. While holding a big lead, Murdick broke a drive shaft and was forced to the pits with five laps to go.

“My car was going fast ... We've been fast. That's the positive side,” Murdick said. “Stuff happens. I wish it could have been different.”

Swartzlander held off a hard-charging Rex King Jr. to grab the checkered flag, the 85th of his career at Lernerville and third this year.

“I gave it away to Davey and he gave it back,” Swartzlander said. “I'll take it. I've given away enough of these in my time.”

In other features:

Davey Johnson of Greensburg started up front in the Late Model feature and out-dueled Jared Miley, Alex Ferree and Russ King for the Dave Hoffman Memorial victory. It was Johnson's first win here since May 3 of last season.

Miley and Johnson were side-by-side for the final three laps.

“Running against Jared and Alex is tough. Those guys are good locals here,” Johnson said. “Jared will race you clean. We traded some paint, but it was all good.”

Ferree finished fourth and is closing in on his fifth career Late Model points title at Lernerville. The Saxonburg driver has a 69-point lead with two weeks to go.

Jim Fosnaught of Bairdford started third, grabbed the lead early and cruised to his fifth Sportsman Stock triumph of 2014. He has the most feature wins of any driver at Lernerville this season.

“The car's working good and the track is coming to us,” Fosnaught said. “We haven't been changing much, but whatever changes we're making, I guess they're helping.

“I can't tell you how or why it's happening, but it's working.”

Notes: There were 76 cars in the pits, only 13 Modifieds. ... Former five-time Late Model points champion John Flinner of Zelienople claimed his first heat race win of the season. He has only raced here sparingly. ... Sprint driver Williams won his first heat race of the campaign. ... Sportsman Stock driver Aaron Easler of Butler finished second in the feature after starting seventh. It was his sixth top-four finish, but he remained winless on the year.