BUFFALO TWP — The pros are coming to town.

And one local driver, in particular, has his eyes on them.

Knoch graduate and Sarver resident Michael Norris won one of the 30-lap features during Firecracker 100 weekend in 2018 and 2019 at Lernerville Speedway.

Now he wants the big prize.

“I'd love to be able to win the 100-lapper,” Norris said. “That's my goal. I feel like, if everything breaks right, we can pull that off.”

Norris is tied for seventh all-time with 23 career Late Model feature wins at Lernerville.

The World of Outlaws Late Models invade Lernerville for its 14th annual, three-night Firecracker 100 weekend Thursday through Saturday. Thursday and Friday night's shows are capped by 30-lap features paying $6,000 to the winner.

Saturday night's Firecracker 100 awards $100,000 to the victor. No local driver has ever won the 100-lap race. Norris finished seventh last year.

While Lernerville only began its 2020 season last weekend, Norris has run a few races already this season. He's competed in five races in Florida, three in Georgia and three at Eldora Speedway in Ohio.

“The big difference here (at Lernerville) this season is we're racing open wheel,” Norris said. “We've done that at other tracks, but not here.

“It changes the game a little bit. It will be nice to get some open-wheel laps in prior to the Firecracker.”

Norris didn't get in as many laps as he planned last Friday. After winning his heat race, his No. 72 car had an issue with its back end just before the Late Model feature and he was unable to compete.

Russ King won the Late Model feature and receives an automatic Firecracker 100 berth with that victory.

“It doesn't matter if there's 30 cars on the track or five,” King said. “In terms of local drivers, if Mike Norris is out there, he's the guy you have to beat. He's the standard.”

He'll have plenty of company in that regard this weekend.

Tim McCreadie won the Firecracker 100 last year. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., is the event's lone three-time winner, taking the checkered flag in 2007, 2012 and 2016.

Chris Madden finished second to Bloomquist in that inaugural 2007 Firecracker 100 race. Eleven years later, Madden won the race by leading the field through all 100 laps.

Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., finished second in the Firecracker 100 three successive years (2008-10) and again in 2012. He was third in 2013 before finally winning the race in 2014.

“No one's gotten as much racing in as normally by this time of year,” Seneca Valley graduate and Wexford resident Mike Pegher said. “I've only raced four times so far — three times in Tyler (W.Va.) and once at Thunder Mountain.”

Pegher posted a victory in Tyler, placing second there and at Thunder Mountain. His No. 1C car hit the wall during his heat race last Friday at Lernerville and had to be towed off the track.

“The more seat time you can get, the better, but it doesn't make much difference in this situation,” Pegher said. “These guys coming in here are pros. They do this for a living.

“They know how to adjust to just about anything.”

Brandon Sheppard leads this year's WoO Late Model points face with 2,166 and has four feature wins thus far in 2020. Ricky Weiss is second with 2,062 points and has a pair of wins while Lanigan is third with 1,978 points.

Lanigan has not won a WoO feature race this season.

Zack Mitchell won the most recent WoO race, a 50-lapper Saturday night in Bulls Gap, Tenn.

Saturday night's 100-lap race will be simulcast live on CBS Sports Network at 9 p.m.

Here is the schedule of events this weekend for the 14th annual Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway:ThursdayPit gates open at 4 p.m.Grandstands open at 5 p.m.Hot laps, qualifying at 6:05 p.m.Racing begins at 7:30 p.m.WoO Late Models 30-lap feature, $6,000 to winFridayWeenie roast, cornhole tournament, 1 p.m.Opening times, race schedule same as aboveFireworks follow racingSaturdayAutograph session, 4 p.m.Hot laps, qualifying at 6:15 p.m.Racing begins at 7:05 p.m.Uncle Sam 30, $3,000 to winFirecracker 100, $100,000 to win