Todd Morrow Claims Top Tracks Challenge At Rome

ROME, GA—The Carl Black Top Tracks Challenge Series returned to the Rome
Speedway Sunday night to make up the rain out from the week before and 39
drivers checking for the 30 lap $1,500 to win event and Todd Morrow of
Knoxville, TN., came home with the win, his first with the series.

Lamar Haygood of Douglasville, GA., set fast time with a with lap of 14.567
giving him the pole position for the event with Chip Brindle starting on the
outside of the front row. Morrow, Curtis Cline and Todd Murphy rounded out the
top five in qualifying.

At the drop of the green flag Haygood moved into the top spot with Brindle
falling into second and Morrow third, MOrrow then moved under Brindle to take
over the second spot and was followed by Cline and Murphy.  Haygood look strong
during the first half of the race and looked to be on his way to his first Top
Track win of the year, when Morrow start reeling him in and then around the
midway point of the race Morrow moved under Haygood to take over the top spot.

Morrow then was on a tear as he built up a very sizable lead over the remaining
the last half of the race until a caution flag ended his lead and then put the
field right behind him with two laps remaining.  Ronnie Johnson was not win the
second spot after starting 12th and was about to make his challenge for the lead
with the final laps, but he got to the inside of Morrow twice but could never
get by  him and had to settle in for the second place finish, third went to Todd
Murphy of Rome, GA., fourth to Alan Brewer of Phenix City, AL., who took a
provisional started 24th and drove a great race to come him in the fourth spot
and rounding out the top five pole sitter Lamar Haygood.

Finishing in the sixth spot was Frank Ingram who started 15th, seventh was John
Owenby who also used a provisional as he got into a little heat race action and
started 23rd on the field, eight place went to Derrick Rainey, ninth to William
Thomas and tenth went to Dale Thurman who started in the 18th spot.

Points leader Jake Knowles of Tyrone, GA., has a bad night as the motor
developed a problem midway through the race and he has to pull in with a 20th
place finish.  Rookie of the year point leader J J Nye also had a tough night as
he went out early and finished 22nd.

The next Top Tracks Challenge event will be on Saturday night July 28th at the
Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA., a 40 lap $2,000 to win event.  For more
information contact the Top Track Challenge Series at 256-539-4484 or
www.toptrackschallenge.com

OFFICIAL FINISH ROME: 1.Todd Morrow; 2.Ronnie Johnson; 3.Todd Murphy; 4.Alan
Brewer; 5.Lamar Haygood; 6.Frank Ingram; 7.John Owenby; 8.Derrick Rainey;
9.William Thomas; 10.Dale Thurman; 11.Chuck Padgett; 12.David McCoy; 13.Chip
Brindle; 14.Kenny Gaither; 15.Chad Pearson; 16.Mark Page; 17.Rick Hixson;
18.Chris Fennell; 19.Curtis Cline; 20.Jake Knowles; 21.Jerry Fowler; 22.J J Nye;
23.Jeff Smith; 24.Bob Gibby.

DNS:A J Watson; Jeff Fields; Calvin Gardner; Joey Frey; Gene Nasworthy; Steven
Pearson; Michael Page; Jeremy Ledford; Randy Hill; Bill Peters; Anthony
Summerville; Richard Thomas; Reid Johnson; Richard Yeomans; Mike McConnell