Only three weeks ago Billy Decker looked poised to run away with the 2006 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series point race. Decker had amassed nearly a 100-point margin over the second spot and was clicking off the victories and top-five finishes.

But then Alan Johnson began to put together a strong string of finishes along the trail, beginning with back-to-back wins at Ransomville Speedway and Brockville International Speedway. Johnson followed those wins with strong efforts this past week at Cornwall Speedway, Autodrome Drummondville, and Orange County Fair Speedway. Johnson collected two second-place finishes and a fifth.

Decker meanwhile faltered in a couple of races before rebounding with his third Series win over Johnson at OCFS.

All told, Johnson vaulted from eighth-place overall in points before the five-race period began, into a one-point lead over Decker; setting the stage for a competitive remainder of the Advance Auto Parts trail.

Defending Mr. DIRT champion Tim Fuller is still very much in the hunt, parlaying several top five finishes into a third-place point total only 17 markers behind Johnson. Decker#,s Gypsum Express teammate Pat Ward is fourth, 91 points back. Multi-time Mr. DIRT Brett Hearn has moved back into the top five in points on the strength of his win at Drummondville, after suffering through a dreadful June on the Series trail.

Grandview Speedway in Pennsylvania is up next for the tour on Wednesday, July 19th, with a return engagement at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, Saturday, August 5.

€Tonight marks the return of the Empire DIRT Live Series at The Cayuga County Fair Speedway after a one-year hiatus. The Time Warner Cable system will broadcast live racing action from CCFS for eight consecutive Sundays, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (In the Syracuse area, tune in to TW channel 26. Check local listings for other Time Warner cable outlets.) Each show will feature three live races: the big-block modified consolation, the sportsman modified 20-lap feature, and the 35-lap big-block modified feature.

A weekly highlight package of DIRT racing from the past week and driver interviews are also featured on the broadcast. Veteran DIRT race announcers Shane Andrews and Doug Elkins will anchor the telecast, and Tery Rumsey and Patrick Donnelly are back at the helm as show producers.

Anticipation is high for the Empire DIRT show after its successful two-year run in 2003-04.

Tonight is also Law Enforcement night at CCFS, with all law enforcement and corrections officers admitted free of charge with proper identification. Race time is 7 p.m., but plan to be there early for all of the excitement that is sure to follow.