BUFFALO TWP — The track was bumpy and the race was risky.

In other words, right up John Flinner's alley.

The veteran Zelienople driver of the No. 48 car started 13th, took the lead on the 11th lap, and won the 40-lap O'Reilly All-Star Late Model feature Friday night at Lernerville Speedway.

Flinner wound up winning the race — and $5,000 check — by nearly a full lap over Tommy Beck. He lapped every car in the field except Beck and third-place finisher Gregg Satterlee.

“I don't think I'm gonna be able to walk tomorrow,” Beck said. “I could barely keep my hands on the wheel. They kept bouncing off.

“That track beat the crap outta me. My car might have been as fast as John's, but I was nervous the entire time. John Flinner doesn't get nervous about anything.”

Indeed, Flinner appeared to be having the time of his life.

With all of the rain recently, the racing surface was extremely soft. Ruts were popping up all over it despite track personnel's continual efforts to run the track in.

While most of the cars didn't survive the race — only nine of the 24 that started were able to finish — Flinner thrived in it.

“We did some off-the-wall right rear stuff and it worked,” Flinner said. “I get tired of doing the same old thing all the time. I was always taught to race hard until the race was over.

“Just keep the hammer down. I wish this thing was 200 laps. I had a blast and that was the worst track I've ever raced on.”

Flinner, who turns 50 later this year, won at the Sarver oval for the first time since driving Todd Bachman's car here in 2009. He had not won at Lernerville in his No. 48 car since August of 2008.

Flinner has endured personal tragedy in his life since then, losing his mother and a daughter, Tanya, during the same year.

His official car number is now 4T8 — the T beginning the spelling of Tanya's name on the side of his car.

“I think about them every time I race now,” Flinner said. “I feel like I have two passengers with me out there.

“My mother might have bailed tonight, though ... It was pretty rough out there. Tanya would have stuck it out, though.”

Flinner's win was his 41st career triumph at Lernerville.

“That was the worst racetrack I've run on in my life,” Satterlee said. “It wasn't Lernerville's fault. I give them credit for getting the show in with all that moisture.

“Everybody was tearing the heck out of everything — broken motors, tires, you name it. I was just steering the car around the track and kept gaining ground just by staying out there.”

Tim Dohm of Crosslanes, W.Va., had the fastest qualifying time, turning a lap in 15.311 seconds — just under the track record of 15.072 turned in by Darrell Lanigan exactly six years ago.

Dohm surpassed that record by running the first lap of the feature in 14.922 seconds. His car broke and he was out of the race before it was five laps old, however.

Cars found themselves in mid-air on many occasions during the feature.

“It felt like I was riding a bicycle at times, using only two wheels,” Beck said.

Kyle Zimmerman of Albion won the Fastrak Pro Late Model feature for his first career win at Lernerville. He held off 14-year-old Ryan Montgomery of Fairmont, W.Va., for the victory.

Kenny Johnson of Mineral Wells, W.Va., won the UMP Modified feature.

Notes: There were 84 cars in the pits, including 43 Late Models. ... Johnny Garvin of Sarver won his heat race, but two flat tires forced him into an early exit during the feature. ... Dale Planck of Cortland, N.Y., flipped his Late Model badly off the back straightaway during his heat race, but was unhurt.