Ex-NASCAR driver John Wes Townley, 31, is shot dead by estranged wife's new lover after racer turned up at their house with an AX: Wife was also shot and injured in melee

Townley is reported to have entered the property armed with an axe before Anderson somehow got hold of a gun and fatally shot him, accidentally hitting Laura Townley with gunfire in the abdomen in the process. 

The ex-race driver, who is the son of the millionaire co-founder of fried chicken chain Zaxby's, was rushed to hospital and later died of his injuries.  

Laura Townley, 30, remains in a 'serious' condition but is expected to survive. 

John Wes Townley, 31, was shot just before 9pm on Saturday in the 200 block of Morton Avenue in the Five Points area of Athens. Townley raced eight seasons and made 186 starts across the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series, NASCAR's lower two national divisions (pictured: at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida in July 2014)

Townley married nurse Laura Townley in 2018 after the pair met through dating app 'Match.' The couple had recently filed for divorce

Lt Shaun Barnett, an Athens Police Department spokesperson, told DailyMail.com Anderson have not been arrested or charged with any crime as of Monday afternoon. 

'We are not ruling self-defense out as a possibility,' Barnett said.

The spokesperson stressed that the investigation into the fatal shooting is still ongoing. 

Barnett added that the relationship between Laura Townley and Anderson was not clear, but he said it is known they were 'acquaintances.' 

Court records state that the Townleys, who were married in October 2018, filed for divorce on February 3 of this year and had been living apart. 

The divorce was finalized last week, according to a police report cited by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  

Townley married nurse Laura Townley from Florence, South Carolina, in 2018 after the pair met through dating app 'Match' (pictured together in a Facebook post)

The shooting took place in the 200 block of Morton Avenue in the Five Points area of Athens (pictured: Morton Avenue)

Laura had been living at the Morton Avenue address when the petition for divorce was filed. 

The divorce was still pending at the time of Townley's death. 

It is not believed that the couple had any children together. 

Police earlier said that a 30-year-old woman was injured. They have not identified her as Laura Townley.

Barnett said that the investigation was ongoing but early indications were that it was a 'domestic incident.' 

Born in Watkinsville, Townley is the son of Tony Townley, whose fast food chain Zaxby's owned and sponsored the cars he competed in. 

He married nurse Laura Townley from Florence, South Carolina, after the pair met through dating app 'Match' in 2016.

Figures from NASCAR, including former drivers and journalists who knew Townley have paid tribute to him online.

Current NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace, who raced against him, tweeted: 'Damn. Rest Easy JWT. Heartbreaking.'

Jeff Hood, who works for the family business Zaxby's, posted on Facebook: 'For 17 years, I accompanied John Wes Townley to race tracks throughout the United States and Canada. He was a brother to me.

'I spent a portion of Saturday afternoon Oct. 2nd catching up with him at the Arkansas/Georgia football game. Six hours later, his life on this earth concluded. 

'Behind the scenes, JWT was a caring, tender-hearted, compassionate person. That's how I'll always remember him. I miss you and love you, my dear friend.'  

Townley drove a car owned by his father, who was a co-founder of the vehicle's primary sponsor, fried chicken chain Zaxby's 

Townley, known in the sport as JWT, speaking at a press conference after qualifying for the Arca Racing Series auto race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, in July, 2014

NASCAR reporter Chris Knight wrote: 'I knew John Wes Townley since he entered the sport. He always treated me well, said hi and we checked in with each other once in a while when he left the sport.

'I am saddened to hear about what happened and my thoughts and prayers are with all the parties involved.'  

Fox sports host Kaitlyn Vincie tweeted: 'Heartbroken for John Wes Townley's family. Absolutely devastating. Godspeed JWT.' 

Townley started driving professionally in 2008 and recorded 186 starts across the Xfinity and Truck Series, NASCAR's lower two national divisions.

His victory in the Truck Series at Las Vegas six years ago Sunday was the only national series win of his career.

Townley's car was sponsored by his father's fast-food chain Zaxby's.  

Opened in 1990, the chain has more than 900 restaurants across 17 states and Tony Townley's net worth is reported to be around $10 million.

Tony Townley stepped down from the company around a year ago after big investment from Goldman Sachs, leaving his fellow co-founder and high school buddy Zach McLeroy to run the company.