BUFFALO TWP— He races where he wants, when he wants — and seemingly wins if he wants.

Scott Bloomquist of Mooreburg, Tenn., won the inaugural Firecracker 100 before a packed house Saturday night at Lernerville Speedway while controlling the race most of the time.

Bloomquist, 43, started on the pole and swapped the lead with fellow front-row starter Steve Shaver for the first few laps. By Lap 9, however, Bloomquist was in front to stay and picked up the $30,000 first prize.

"He's the best there is,"race runner up Chris Madden said. "Finishing second to him in a race anywhere, anybody will take that.

"I had a great car, certainly good enough to win this race. If I started up front, I doubt Scott would have passed me. Since he started up front, nobody was gonna pass him."

Shaver dropped out of the race after 53 laps.

Madden, who had the fastest qualifying time Friday night, started in the second row. But there was no getting around Bloomquist.

The driver of the No. 0 car maintained a quick pace in front of Madden and Earl Pearson Jr. all night. Restarts on the 12th lap (twice) and 75th lap didn't bother him at all.

And when Shane Clanton began gaining momentum and moving into second place by aggressively charging high off the top of Turn 3, Bloomquist almost instinctively cut him off on the 89th lap.

Clanton wound up finishing sixth after Bloomquist slid up high off Turn 4 and prevented Clanton from zipping past him.

"I didn't even know he was there,"Bloomquist said of Clanton. "I always like to move around the race track.

"I had no idea anybody was anywhere. I didn't have a clue. When the track is that slick, you stay in a zone."

Madden wasn't surprised Clanton fell back a bit over the final 10 laps.

"Playing with that high cushion is dangerous territory," he said. "It worked for him one or two times. Shane could have jumped that cushion just as easily. It was going to be tough for him to maintain that pace."

Not so for Bloomquist, who picked up his first career win at Lernerville. In three previous World of Outlaws Late Model races here, he finished no higher than fifth.

Bloomquist has won more than 460 Late Model features in his 25-year career. He no longer races for points — last weekend marked only his fifth Outlaws event all season. He picks and chooses where he runs and opts for the big shows.

And usually wins them.

Now he can add the first Firecracker 100 to his list of historical races won, which include The Dream at Eldora, USANationals and World 100.

"I like the two-day shows,"Bloomquist said. "You can relax a little bit, spend more time with the fans, do some autograph sessions ... They're great for the sport.

"You can't ask for a more race-able facility than this one. You can run three-wide here and tracks like that make the racing enjoyable."

He won Saturday's race despite a leaky oil gauge that left the floor of Bloomquist's car, and his pants leg, soaked in oil.

"It was nothing that was gonna keep me from finishing the race, but it made my brake pedal a little slippery,"Bloomquist said. "I had to hold my right leg in the air for 40 laps or so ... That got a bit tiring."

Not too tiring to hold off a talented field to the checkered flag, however.

Local drivers in the Firecracker included Dave Hess Jr. (11th), Alex Ferree (20th), Dutch Davies (25th), David Scott (26th) and Mike Blose (27th). Ferree and Blose received Lernerville provisionals to get in the race.

Kentucky driver Josh McGuire, making his first Lernerville appearance, won the Uncle Sam 30 — the 30-lap feature comprised of the top 24 cars failing to qualify for the Firecracker.

Local driver Jared Miley started up front and led for the first 15 laps before fading to sixth. McGuire held off runner up Chad Ruhlman for the checkered while Matt Lux of Franklin finished third.

"The track was slick from top to bottom and that's the way I like it here,"Lux said. "Having two opportunities to win money like this ... You don't usually get that anywhere."

McGuire picked up $3,000 for winning the Uncle Sam 30.

"I'll definitely take it,"McGuire said. "And it got me a few more laps around the race track."

Ruhlman was among many visiting drivers raving about Lernerville's track conditions.

"I've been racing at Eldora for four years now and this is the best race track I've ever been on,"Ruhlman said. "This place is awesome."

Saturday's Firecracker 100 marked the first 100-lap Late Model race held here since the 1970s. Lernerville general manager Gary Risch Jr. announced a second Firecracker 100 is likely in the works for next yerar.

"They better build more grandstands,"Bloomquist said. "This thing is only going to get bigger."