Cleveland Speedway
Morrow wins Top Tracks opener at Cleveland
By Steve Hixson
Cleveland SpeedwayCLEVELAND, Tenn. (April 19) — Overtaking polesitter Derrick Rainey on a lap-four restart, Todd Morrow of Old Fort, Tenn., led the rest of the Cleveland Aluminum 40 at Cleveland Speedway for a $2,000 victory in the season opener on the Top Tracks Challenge Series. Morrow started outside the front row. | April recaps
Rainey, of Powder Springs, Ga., finished second in the special for Crate Late Models while Brian Jackson of Chatsworth, Ga., 13th-starting Chip Brindle of Chatsworth and Bobby Mayse of Harrison, Tenn. rounded out the top five. Brad Hall was running in the top five early but dropped out of the race after nine laps.
Notes: Morrow is sponsored by Car Smart Auto Sales, Cleveland Aluminum and Race Engine Design. ... He's the son of Cleveland promoter Monty Morrow. ... Brett Wyatt stalled early and was the first dropout. ... Rex Richey exited early with smoke billowing from his car. ... Robby Mason and David Tindell crashed on the backstretch before the midway point. ... J.J. Nye and Seth Wimpey caused a lap-14 caution. ... David Payne of Murphy, N.C., won the night's Super Late Model feature and finished seventh in the Crate race. ... The next Top Tracks Challenge event is May 25 at Rome (Ga.) Speedway. Cleveland hosts the series again Aug. 15.
Top Tracks @ Cleveland: (1) Todd Morrow, (2) Derrick Rainey, (3) Brian Jackson, (4) Chip Brindle, (5) Bobby Mayse, (6) Blake Stewart, (7) David Payne, (8) Kevin Burke, (9) John Owenby, (10) Alan Brewer, (11) Chris Beavers, (12) J.J. Nye, (13) Todd Murphy, (14) Bob Gibby, (15) Chris Fennell, (16) Glen Seaton, (17) Seth Wimpey, (18) Chuck Padgett, (19) Randy Hill, (20) Robby Mason, (21) David Tindell, (22) Brad Hall, (23) Rex Richey, (24) Brett Wyatt. Fast qualifier (among 40 cars): Rainey, 14.237 seconds. Consolation race winners: Mayse, Richey, Brindle. Provisional starters: Fennell, Gibby.