Chris Shivers padded his lead for the 2003 Build Ford Tough Series world championship by more than 60 points Saturday night at the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Raleigh-Durham Open, the 21st event of the 9.5 million series. The bad news is a possible cracked right shoulder might prevent him from performing in the PBR's next premier series event.

Shivers suffered bruised ribs and the free-arm shoulder injury when he got hit by Tony Sharp's Slider following his 2.4-second ride in the Built Ford Tough Series Championship Round. X-rays scheduled for Monday will help determine how long the 2000 PBR World Champion will need to heal.

The good news for Shivers is the next Build Ford Tough Series present by Las Vegas event is not until June 27-28 in Nashville, Tenn.

The race for the PBR's Rookie of the Year award tightened significantly Saturday with Rob Bell's PBR career-high $30,082 victory in the Raleigh-Durham Open at the RBC Center. The win increased his season earnings to $67,048.

Chad Lucas of Wister, Okla. leads the rookie class with $81,581, and Jody Newberry of Ada, Okla., stands third with $39,320.

Bell, 24, a two-time Canadian bull riding champion from Water Valley, Alberta, won his first PBR event at any level by covering two bulls for 182.5 points. His signature ride was an event-high 93.5 points on Terry Williams' bull Cripple Creek Slick Willy in the championship round. Slick Willy tried to unseat Bell with two big jumps late in the trip, but Bell held on.

"That's a great bull; it felt good," Bell said. "It's kind of a blur. I know he reared up a couple times, and I felt like I had a good solid seat on him the whole way. It's my first 90-point ride in the PBR and I think I'll remember it."

Paulo Crimber, a Brazilian living in Keller, Texas, was the only rider to enter the final round with qualified scores on two bulls. He would have won an additional $10,000 in the Ford Truck Moment of Truth bonus program had he covered D&H Cattle Co.'s Blues Man. The bonus is awarded to the leader heading into the Built Ford Tough Series Championship Round if he covers his bull and wins the event. Crimber lasted just 2.9 seconds on Blues Man and finished fifth.

Sean Willingham of Summerfield, Ga., scored 91.5 points on Salt River Rodeo Bulls' Clayton's Pet to place second and win a career-high $16,302. Jim Sharp of Stephenville won $9,300 for third. 1996 PBR World Champion Owen Washburn was fourth ($5,810).

Willingham, who missed all of last year while recovering from a cracked skull, was sky-high with happiness.

"It feels good just to be here riding against the top 45 bull riders in the world and getting on the best bulls," said Willingham after his second Built Ford Tough Series event. "Rob (Bell) and I were standing there together watching Paulo's ride. We hope everybody could win first, but there's only one winner."

Bell, who scored 89 points in Friday's first round on Gene Owens' Big Ticket, and placed second at the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Finals in Denver in January, said he was fortunate to win Saturday on two bulls.

"It's happened to me a couple of times this year," Bell said. "Now, though, the bulls are rank and guys are sore this time of year. I guess I was just lucky to stay on two of them."

Shivers, of Jonesville, La, has an 801-point lead over Justin McBride of Elk City, Okla., in the race for the world championship and million-dollar bonus. Mike Lee of Avord, Texas is third, 1,051.5 points behind Shivers. Only seven Built Ford Tough Series events remain before November's World Finals in Las Vegas.

BEHIND THE CHUTES: Shivers' win in round one with an 89.5 on Bradford, Brown & Williams' Big Show allowed him to ride Sharp & Zaunbrecher's Hammer for $20,000 in the Mossy Oak Shootout. Hammer won the battle to improve to 31-2 all-time. The bounty grows to $25,000 in Nashville?.Brian Herman of Victoria, Texas, won round two with 90 points aboard Roy Carter's Little Red?. The Ford Truck Moment of Truth will be worth $15,000 in Nashville.

HEALTHSOUTH INJURY REPORT (courtesy of HealthSouth Sports Medicine Director, Tandy Freeman):

Lee Akin, Weatherford, Okla. - tore a right hamstring muscle Friday night and did not compete Saturday. He's questionable for Nashville.

Jake Charleston, Avilla, Mo. - separated his right shoulder (free arm) and sustained a possible broken clavicle. He'll have x-rays Monday or Tuesday and is questionable for Nashville.

Craig Sasse, St. Peter, Ill. - aggravated a dislocated shoulder. Questionable for Nashville.

Chris Shivers, Jonesville, La. - sustained bruised ribs and a possible cracked right shoulder (free arm). He's scheduled for x-rays Monday, after which his status will be determined.

Justin Volz, Charlie Lake, British Columbia, Canada -strained his right groin and lower back. Probable for Nashville.

RALEIGH-DURHAM OPEN RESULTS

FIRST ROUND:
1)Chris Shivers, Jonesville, La., 89.5 points on Bradford, Brown & Williams' Big Show, $2,730. 2/3) Sean Willingham, Summerfield, 89 on Gene Owen's Iceman; Rob Bell, Water Valley, Alberta, Canada, 89 on Gene Owens' Big Ticket, $1,560 each. 4) Tony Mendes, Jensen, Utah, 88.5 on D&H Cattle Co.'s Vanilla Sky, $780. 5/6/7 Owen Washburn, Lordsburg, N.M., 87.5 on Roy Carter's Ozzy; Jim Sharp, Stephenville, Texas, 87.5 on D&H Cattle Co.'s Coppertop; Paulo Crimber, Keller, Texas 87.5 on Crowthers & Nelson's Mr. Freeze, $338 each.

SECOND ROUND:
1)Brian Herman, Victoria, Texas, 90 on Roy Carter Bucking Bulls' Little Red, $2,730. 2/3) Justin McBride, Elk City, Okla., 89 on Gene Owen's National Debt; Brendon Clark, Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia, 89 on Crowthers & Nelson's Mr. Freeze, $1,560 each. 4/5) J.W. Hart, Marietta, Okla., 88.5 on Salt River Rodeo Bulls' Arrowhead; Robert Bowers, Brooks, Alberta, Canada, 88.5 on Roy Carter's Dirty White Child, $624.

BUILT FORD TOUGH CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND:
1) Rob Bell, Water Valley, Alberta, Canada, 93.5 on Terry Williams' bull Cripple Creek Slick Willy, $2,730. 2) Sean Willingham, Summerfield, Ga., 91.5 on Salt River Rodeo's Clayton's Pet, $1,950. 3) Jim Sharp, Stephenville, Texas, 90.5 on Gene Owens' Spinner Bait, $1,170. 4) Owen Washburn, 89.5 on D&H Cattle Co.'s Western Wishes, $780. Only qualified rides.

OVERALL:
1) Rob Bell, 182.5 points, $30,082. 2) Sean Willingham, 180.5, $16,302. 3) Jim Sharp, 178 points, $9,300. 4) Owen Washburn, 177 points, $5,810. 5) Paulo Crimber, 174 points, $3,844.

BUILT FORD TOUGH SERIES POINT STANDINGS:
1) Chris Shivers, 6,038.5 points. 2) Justin McBride, 5,237.5. 3) Mike Lee, 4,987 points. 4) Wiley Petersen, Fort Hall, Idaho, 4,766.5. 5) Owen Washburn, 4,380 points. 6) Mike White, DeKalb, Texas, 4,274 points. 7) Ross Coleman, Redmond, Oregon, 3,611.5 points. 8) Tony Mendes, 3,479 points. 9) J.W. Hart, 3,401 points. 10) Ednei Caminhas, Sao Paolo, Brazil, 3,380.5 points.

BULLFIGHTERS: Greg Crabtree, Dennis Johnson, Rob Smets