Lernerville Speedway is host of the World of Outlaws-sanctioned Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup feature Tuesday night, but the race might be relegated to under-card status to make way for a heavyweight bout between Boundless Motorsports and Ted Johnson for control of the series.

Boundless, based in Norman, Okla., worked out a deal in February to purchase the Outlaws from series founder Johnson and signed to contracts 15 top sprint-car racers, including Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski. Boundless agreed to pay $5 million for the series, a portion of which was in a promissory note to Johnson that left him on the payroll until he was fully compensated. Johnson claims Boundless defaulted on the promissory note and at the Outlaws event Wednesday night at Hartford Speedway Park in Hartford, Mich., he attempted to repossess the series.

Thursday, Boundless fired Johnson and Carlton Reimers, the competition director. It obtained a temporary restraining order yesterday afternoon in the District Court of Dallas against Johnson and his company, Johnson Group.

The restraining order states Johnson and his affiliates are prohibited from interfering with the Outlaws' operation of business, which means Boundless should be in control of the series Tuesday when it rolls into Sarver for the Silver Cup. The restraining order also prohibits Johnson from making any statements that he possesses or controls the Outlaws' business or the trade name, from stating to anyone that the Johnson Group has any involvement in races, and prevents him from attending any Outlaws race as anything other than a spectator. Lastly, the order requires Johnson to immediately return all property seized by the Johnson Group at the Hartford race.

Boundless denies it defaulted, but made a $260,000 payment on the promissory note to Johnson's group as a condition of the restraining order.

"It is unfortunate that Ted Johnson chose to take these actions, and we apologize to all of our drivers, team owners, fans and sponsors for the confusion caused by Mr. Johnson's actions," Boundless CEO Paul Kruger said in a statement yesterday. "We intend to continue normal operations, starting with [last night's] races at Eldora Speedway, without any interference from Mr. Johnson. A hearing on this matter is scheduled for July 26, 2004."

That leaves Lernerville, where the Outlaws have raced at least once a year since 1979, as site of a potential showdown Tuesday, on and off the track.

"I guess they'll have to work out their differences, but as far as it affecting the race I can't see anything so far," Lernerville co-director Barb Bartley said yesterday. "It's a wait-and-see kind of thing. This could be more than racing here."

Calls to Boundless Motorsports and Johnson's office went unanswered yesterday.