GPS PHOTOS by Jonathan Torres

Ward, the defending champion who has held the champion's title five times at Greenville Pickens Speedway, snagged his seventh Late Model Stock win of the season Saturday night at the historic half-mile track. And he continued what, just a short time ago, seemed an impossible task.

Seeking to become just the second driver in the history of the track to win six championships, the Marietta driver has said he's trying to put the points race in the back of his mind. But he also knows that with his recent resurgence, no one is counting him out.

The stage for the 40-lap Late Model main event featured Roger Powell holding the current points lead with John Lewis Hightower 42 points back in second place. Ward was in third place in points and hoping to make up some ground.

Under threatening skies with warmup laps cancelled, Ward started in the fourth spot after Hightower won the pole. NASCAR Drive -for-Diversity rookie Michael Cherry, fresh from a strong second-place finish a week earlier, started second, with Greenville 's Amanda Lynch in the third spot.

But after the first lap, Ward had secured the lead, and he held it through three caution flags and restarts that gave Hightower a chance to reclaim his lead.

At the end of the race, the top three drivers in the points standings hadn't changed, but Ward had struck another psychological blow.

Earlier at the track, Saturday night's entertainment had featured a Charger meet-and-greet, with fans making their way from the stands to get autographs from drivers beside their cars before the racing began. The Charger drivers seemed particularly pumped up from all the attention.

In a five-lap Charger One heat before the 12-lap main event, the cars of Chris Francis and Tyler Stephens tangled. The bumper of Francis' No. 41 car ended up attached to the front of Tyler Stephens' No 6 car.

Walt Anders went on to win the Charger One heat, and Bryan Davis took the Charger Two heat win.

The main Charger race saw Greenville 's Ricky Stephens take the early lead and post a comfortable win.

The Renegade main event featured Scott Smith, the Taylors favorite who showed such promise early in the season, return to Victory Lane .

Late Model Stock

1. Marty Ward; 2. John Lewis Hightower; 3. Kenneth Headen; 4. Anthony Anders; 5. Roger Powell; 6 Michael Cherry; 7. Amanda Lynch; 8. Jeremy Burns; 9. Justin Southerlin; 10. Trey Gibson; 11. Tasha Kummer; 12. Dale Dove; 13. Darrell Durham Jr.; 14. Jack Ingram; 15. Grant McGinnis; 16. Mitchell Mote; 17. Brandon (T.J.) Fox; 18. Chris Black

Sportsman

1. Tony Bridgeman; 2. Randy Ballew; 3. Jamie Altop; 4. C.M. Knight; 5. Bob Root; 6. Tim Lollis

Charger Heat One

1. Walt Anders; 2. Danny Gilbert; 3. Michael Mote; 4. Tyler Stephens; 5. Joey Lusk; 6. Chris Henry; 7. Chris Francis; 8. Ricky Stephens

Charger Heat Two

1. Bryan Davis; 2. James Johnson; 3. Phillip Peters; 4. Jamie Tate; 5. Scott Pittman; 6. Sam Staggs; 7 Mike Mote; 8. Andy Norris

Charger Main

1. Ricky Stephens; 2. Jamie Tate; 3. James Johnson; 4. Andy Norris; 5. Tyler Stephens; 6. Phillip Peters; 7. Walt Anders; 8. Danny Gilbert; 9. Chris Henry; 10. Joey Lusk; 11. Mike Mote; 12 Scott Pittman; 13. Chris Francis

Renegade Heat One

1. Matt Hale; 2. Zach Meinders; 3. Travis Cox; 4. Benny Taylor; 5. Freddy Hale Jr.; 6. Jackie Manley; 7 Jeremy Drummond; 8. T.J. Lollis

Renegade Heat Two

1. Scott Smith; 2. Dale Stancil; 3. Terry Hawthorne; 4. Terry King; 5. Travis King; 6. Dicky Davenport ; 7. Brad Mabery

Renegade Main

1. Scott Smith; 2. Dale Stancil; 3. Matt Hale; 4. Terry Hawthorne; 5. Terry King; 6. Benny Taylor; 7. Travis King; 8, Dicky Davenport ; 9. T.J. Lollis; 10. Zach Meinders; 11. Brad Mabery; 12. Jeremy Drummond; 13. Freddy Hale Jr.; `4. Jackie Manley; 15. Travis Cox