BUFFALO TWP - Rain ultimately won out at Lernerville Speedway Friday night.

But Mike Norris won first.

Norris, 40, of Sarver won his first Late Model heat race in five years before rain forced cancellation of the remainder of the race card.

Norris held off an onrushing Lynn Geisler over the final four laps to take the checkered flag in the 10-lap race.

"This was a long time coming," Norris said. "We've got everything new this year - a new car, new chassis. It's all working well."

Norris has been involved in racing since age 15, when he competed in the Claimer division, similar to the Pure Stocks of today.

He has 15 career feature wins, all at Lernerville. He won 13 Limited Late Model features here in 1991.

Norris returned to racing two years ago after taking five years off when his children were young.

His best feature finish at Lernerville in the No. 71 car so far this year is 10th, but Norris won a heat race and finished third in the feature at Latrobe Speedway last Sunday.

"We're 100 percent improved all the way around," said crew chief Bill Fahrney of Saxonburg. "Mike came from the back of the field in that race at Latrobe and passed everybody but the two cars that finished in front of him.

"We've just had a lot of bad luck so far. Wrecks have been the main thing. But our day is coming."

Norris got involved in racing through his father, who ran at Lernerville during the track's early years.

"They brought me here as a baby the first night of racing ever at Lernerville," he said.

Joining Fahrney on Norris' pit crew are Mike Micholas, Bob Jamison and Keith Hall.

Mike Blose of Dayton won by nearly half a straightaway over Ken Schaltenbrand of Sarver in the other Late Model heat race Friday.

Tom Winkle of Mars and Kevin Bolland of New Brighton won the Modified heat races. Ed Lynch Jr. of Apollo won the first Sprint heat race - his fourth heat race victory of the year here - but it won't count toward the points race since the other Sprint heat failed to beat the rain.

There were 90 cars in the pits. The Pure Stock heat races never got under way.

A moment of silence was held before Friday's race card in memory of Modified driver Jim Fass, who died May 20.

Fab Four racing returns to Lernerville June 10. The June 3 card is Family Fun Night, featuring school bus races, Powder Puff racing, an E-Mod demonstration, demolition derby and bike races for kids ages 12-under. Helmets are required.