BUFFALO TWP — All Brandon Overton wanted out of racing was one cardboard check.

“I had watched so many guys receive one (in victory lane) over the years,” the World of Outlaws Late Model driver from Evans, Ga., said. “I always thought it'd be cool to experience getting just one of those.”

Now it's more than cool for the 30-year-old Overton.

It's commonplace.

Overton continued his torrid pace on the WoO Tour Saturday night, winning the 15th annual Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway. He took the lead from pole-sitter Chris Madden off Turn 2 of the 41st lap and maintained it for the balance of the race — though not without issue.

Overton has won six of the last seven WoO Late Model features — including Friday night's 30-lap feature — and has garnered $317,000 in earnings during the month of June.

He picked up a winner's check of $30,000 Saturday.

“We're just throwing darts and got lucky again,” Overton said. “I have no explanation for any of this. I'm just going to suck it all in.

“It's racing. It's up and down. You never know how long it's gonna go, so just enjoy it while you can.”

Overton became the third driver to win the Firecracker multiple times. Scott Bloomquist is a three-time winner and Jimmy Mars has won it twice. Overton won the event in 2017.

Madden was the 2018 champion. He settled for second after trading the second and third spots with Dennis Erb Jr. through portions of the race.

Neither ever seriously challenged Overton — who started from the fourth spot — once he took the lead.

“We missed (the setup) just a little bit in the feature and you can't miss it with Overton right now, he's definitely on,” Madden said in a prepared statement.

Erb's third-place finish Saturday followed a fourth-place finish on Friday n ight.

“I'm pretty pleased with the way we ran here,” Erb said. “We seem to be getting things going.”

Overton has won 16 career WoO Late Model feature events. He was nearly denied a shot at No. 16 Saturday night.

There were four caution flags thrown during the 100-lap feature, none after the 57th lap. But disaster nearly struck Overton while the race was under caution after 51 laps.

Another driver inadvertently ran over the side of Overton's car while the yellow flag was waving.

“I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but still, that's not cool,” Overton said. “You have to be more careful. I was lucky to escape with no problems, but that could have cost me $30,000.

“My frame on that side didn't feel right. I thought I had a flat tire and was going to head to the pits. I stopped in front of the flagstand and they said the tires looked OK, so I stayed out there.

“I knew the car was good. It was just a matter of my re-focusing and keeping that lead,” Overton added.

Darrell Lanigan made the biggest jump in the race, starting 21st and finishing fourth.

“The car was really good tonight. You just can't start that far back in these things and win these races,” Lanigan said in a prepared statement.

Knoch graduate and Sarver resident Michael Norris had the most success among local drivers. He started seventh and finished seventh. Saxonburg resident Alex Ferree started 17th as he and Norris both qualified for the 100 through the heat races.

Both competed in the same heat, Norris finishing second and Ferree fourth. The top four finishers in each heat made the Firecracker 100.“Drive hard and drive fast,” Ferree said of qualifying. “That's the only way to approach this.”Ferree went to the pits on Lap 17 of the Firecracker 100 and did not return.Colton Flinner and Jared Miley took the Lernerville provisionals for the Firecracker and finished 17th and 21st, respectively. Miley, from South Park, blew an engine at the end of his heat race and replaced the motor.Mike Benedum of Salem, W.Va., won the Uncle Sam 30 and declined the $2,000 winner's check in exchange for the 29th starting spot in the Firecracker. He finished last in that race.Mark Whitener of Florida won the third annual RUSH Late Model Bill Emig Memorial. He won $10,000 for winning the 50-lap race.Whitener qualified for all three WoO Late Model Features over the weekend as well. Norris raced his brother-in-law's RUSH Late Model in the Emig Memorial and finished 10th.There were 107 cars in the pits overall, representing 20 states.

June 26Lernerville Speedway1. Brandon Overton, 2. Chris Madden, 3. Dennis Erb Jr., 4. Darrell Lanigan, 5. Brandon Sheppard, 6. Max Blair, 7. Michael Norris, 8. Mason Zeigler, 9. Spencer Hughes, 10. Tyler Bruening11. Brent Larson, 12. Cade Dillard, 13. Chris Ferguson, 14, Ricky Weiss, 15. Dan Stone, 16. Gregg Satterlee, 17. Colton Flinner, 18. Rick Eckert, 19. Ryan Gustin, 20. Mark Whitener21. Jared Miley, 22. Scott Bloomquist, 23. Boom Briggs, 24. Kyle Strickler, 25. Ross Robinson, 26. Jason Covert, 27. Chub Frank, 28. Alex Ferree, 29. Mike Benedum

1. Mike Benedum, 2. Mike Lupfer, 3. Dan Angellicchio, 4. Ryan Scott, 5. Ahnna Parkhurst, 6,. Gary Stuhler, 7. Ken Schaltenbrand, 8. Rich Wicker, 9. Josh Powell, 10. Ken Monahan, 11. Levi Yetter, 12. Clinton Hersch, 13. Tyler Dietz, 14. Gary Lyle, 15. Todd Bachman, 16. Shawn Schaltenbrand

(50 laps)Top 10 finishers1. Mark Whitener, 2. Kyle Hardy, 3. Joe Martin, 4. Cody Overton, 5. David Pangrazio, 6. Michael Duritsky Jr. , 7. Levi Crowl, 8, Breyton Santee, 9. Cory Sines, 10. Michael Norris