Defending champion Chris Warren, a native Texan now living in Grants Pass, Ore., built a 238-pin lead after the 13 games of qualifying and then coasted in the eight-game round robin finals to win a record 55th PBA Regional title by repeating as the PBA50 Waxahachie Southwest Open titlist at Hilltop Lanes in Waxahachie, Texas, Sunday.

Warren defeated runner-up Pete Thomas from Oklahoma City, Okla., 227-201, in the final position round match for a 4,896-4,695 victory, including match play bonus pins. Thomas held off third-place finisher Paul Fleming of Ft. Worth, Texas, who finished with 4,649 total pins, to stay in second place.

Along with his eighth PBA50 Regional title to go along with his 47 standard PBA Regional wins, Warren earned the $2,000 winner’s check.

Warren improved his lead in the overall PBA Regional titles race to three over Dale Traber, Pete Weber and Walter Ray Williams Jr. who have each won 52 PBA Regional titles. Warren and Weber share the standard PBA Regional titles lead with 47 each while Harry Sullins of Chesterfield Township, Mich., is the PBA50 Regional titles leader with 24 wins. The current PBA Regional titles leaders include the following:

Overall Standard and PBA50 Regional Titles

1, Chris Warren 55

2 (tie), Dale Traber 52

   Pete Weber 52

   Walter Ray Williams Jr. 52

5, Hugh Miller 45

6, Mike Scroggins 44

7, Steve Jaros 43

8 (tie), Ross Packard 42

   Guppy Troup 42

10, Sam Zurich 40

Standard PBA Regional Titles

1 (tie), Chris Warren 47

   Pete Weber 47

3, Steve Jaros 43

4, Mike Scroggins 40

5, Dale Traber 39

6, Sam Zurich 38

7 (tie), Walter Ray Williams Jr. 33

   Hugh Miller 33

   Ross Packard 33

10 (tie), Dennis Horan 30

   Patrick Allen 30

   Jeff Richgels 30

PBA50 Regional Titles

1, Harry Sullins 24

2 (tie), Walter Ray Williams Jr. 19

   Tom Baker 19

4 (tie), George Pappas 17

   Ron Mohr 17

6, Brian Kretzer 15

7, Ron Winger 14

8 (tie), Dale Traber 13

   Guppy Troup 13

   Tim Kauble 13