Mount Lawn Speedway

Coordinates: 39°54′35″N 85°27′39″W / 39.909707°N 85.460911°W / 39.909707; -85.460911
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Mount Lawn Speedway
"The Lawn"
LocationNew Castle, Indiana
Coordinates39°54′35″N 85°27′39″W / 39.909707°N 85.460911°W / 39.909707; -85.460911
OwnerRick Sweigart
OperatorRick Sweigart, Dave Duncan, and Jimmy Wyman
Opened1934
ArchitectGeorge Sweigart
Major eventsThe May 5-0's, The Raintree 100, The Founders Day 100
SurfaceAsphalt
Length.3 miles
BankingNone

Mount Lawn Speedway, also known as The Lawn, is a 0.3-mile (0.48 km) asphalt, egg-shaped oval track located in New Castle, Indiana.

History[edit]

Mt. Lawn Speedway was founded in 1935 by Dr. George W. Sweigart, a dentist and a former mayor for the town of Hartford City, Indiana. At the time of the track's opening it was a one-fifth mile pear-shaped dirt oval. Also constructed during the early years of the track were a dance hall, a swimming pool, as well as summer cabins for vacationers. The dance hall played host to two the most influential big band musicians of the era, The Dorsey Brothers and Sammy Kaye. However, in 1939 a fire caused by an overheated exhaust fan in the orchestra pit led to the dance hall's first demise. When the hall was rebuilt, a second fire caused by a coal-powered fireplace led to the dancehall's second, and ultimately final demise.

In 1940 Sweigart closed the track down and it appeared that racing in Henry County was over. However, later that year a local promoter named Dutch Hurst visited the area looking for a lighting system for a track that he was constructing known as the Muncie Vellodrome located in Muncie, Indiana. When he noticed the layout of the land he mentioned to Sweigart "Why don't you start a track here?" When Sweigart replied that the land had indeed been a race track before, Hurst convinced Sweigart to reopen the track. In 1941 he hired a local farmer to retill the land as Sweigart and local residents rebuilt the track. However, later that summer the dirt surface of the track had worn down and it was decided that a new surface would be needed. So Sweigart hired a crew from the area and the first concrete surface was laid on the track. This paving would be followed by three repavings in asphalt in 1947, 1967, and finally in 1971.

Over the next 73 years, the track would see many famous names grace its presence, including Tony Stewart, Ed Carpenter, Pat O'Connor, Tom Cherry, Art Cross, and many others. It was a hotbed for open-wheel modifieds in the 1980s and 1990s, as the IMCA Modified Series would see drivers from across the Midwest come to the Speedway to try their hands at the tricky course against the local stars. Following the dwindling of the IMCA series in the late 1990s, late model stock cars would return to prominence in the area and would become the standard-bearer for the next decade and a half. In 2014, the track would close temporarily due to declining interest and car counts and would remain closed til 2016, as interest returned. The late model stocks however would not, as street stocks would become the Premier division at the track and all late model races would be promoted by the Champion Racing Association Late Model Sportsman Series.

Late in 2019, it was announced that driver Dave Duncan and Winchester Speedway co-promoter Jimmy Wyman would begin promoting all races at Mt. Lawn, with Rick Sweigart still retaining ownership. Modified racing would make its full-time return, with a slate of races in 2020. The first race under the new agreement would take place on June 14, with Jeff Lane, a longtime competitor in the previous incarnations of the modified, late model, and street stock classes winning the first race.

The Big Three[edit]

There are three big events that are currently run at The Mt. Lawn Speedway. The May 5–0, which is held the evening of the Indianapolis 500, The Raintree 100 which is a 100-lap Late Model stock car event, and The Founders Day 100, a 100-lap Thunder Car Division race. The Stock Car Extravaganza has not been run in a number of years.

Raintree 100 winners[edit]

Year Driver Hometown
1971 Gene Prosser New Castle, Indiana
1972 Dennis Miles Muncie, Indiana
1973 L.J. Lines Greensboro, Indiana
1974 Harold Scott New Castle, Indiana
1975 Harold Scott New Castle, Indiana
1976 L.J. Lines Indianapolis, Indiana
1977 Rocky Tharp Cowan, Indiana
1978 Bob Fields Willow Branch, Indiana
1979 Harold Scott New Castle, Indiana
1980 Jim Spears Noblesville, Indiana
1981 Harold Scott New Castle, Indiana
1982 L.J. Lines Indianapolis, Indiana
1983 Harold Scott New Castle, Indiana
1984 Bob Fields Willow Branch, Indiana
1985 Bob Fields Willow Branch, Indiana
1986 Herb Rose Anderson, Indiana
1987 Rick Rhonemus Desoto, Indiana
1988 Dave Duncan Cicero, Indiana
1989 Dave Duncan Cicero, Indiana
1990 Rick Rhonemus Desoto, Indiana
1991 Don Skaggs Modoc, Indiana
1992 Rick Rhonemus Desoto, Indiana
1993 Rick Rhonemus Desoto, Indiana
1994 L.J. Lines Indianapolis, Indiana
1995 Rodney Scott New Castle, Indiana
1996 Joe Beaver Noblesville, Indiana
1997 Jeff Lane Knightstown, Indiana
1998 Gerald Hinshaw Mooreland, Indiana
1999 Rodney Scott New Castle, Indiana
2000 William Mefford Knightstown, Indiana
2001 Andy Cowan Cambridge City, Indiana
2002 Gerald Hinshaw Mooreland, Indiana
2003 Scott Neal Mt Summit, Indiana
2004 William Mefford Knightstown, Indiana
2005 Scott Hinshaw Indianapolis, Indiana
2006 Scott Hinshaw Indianapolis, Indiana
2007 William Mefford Knightstown, Indiana
2008 Terry Cater New Castle, Indiana
2009 Kevin Claborn Cambridge City, Indiana
2010 Jeff Marcum Morristown, Indiana
2011 Jeff Marcum Morristown, Indiana
2012 Jason Thompson Shirley, Indiana
2013 Jack Dossey III Indianapolis, Indiana
2016 Ryan Amonett New Castle, Indiana
2018 Jeff Marcum Morristown, Indiana
2019 Zachary Tinkle Speedway, Indiana
2020 Austin Coe Ft. Wayne, Indiana
2021 Austin Coe Ft. Wayne, Indiana
2022 Ryan Amonett New Castle, Indiana

Divisions[edit]

Currently there are 3 Weekly Divisions at Mt. Lawn Speedway.

The Late Model Division is the Premier weekly division. The frame for this division is a General Motors 1978 to 1987; "G" body, 108.1", metric frame. However, cars may be powered by any engine brand. The cars must run complete late model bodies, including roof, that resemble a stock make and model.[1] The "current" Late Model Division made its debut on May 13, 2000. Six cars were at the track on opening night.[2] Today the division typically has twenty or more cars on hand each week.

The Thundercar Division is the Intermediate weekly division at Mt. Lawn Speedway. Thundercars are mostly stock, with a few after-market racing components allowed. Any rear-wheel-drive full-sized car with a wheelbase of not less than 108 inches is eligible to compete in the Thundercar Division.[3]

The Hornet Division is the Beginner weekly division. Hornets are a strictly stock class. Four or six-cylinder cars are eligible to compete. Four-cylinder cars may be front- or rear-wheel drive. Six-cylinder cars can be front-wheel drive only. The wheelbase, no matter the drive train, must be between 92" and 108".[4]

Past champions[edit]

Late models[5]
Year Driver Hometown
2002 Scott Neal Middletown
2003 Dean Baker
2004
2005
2006 L.J. Lines Greensboro
2007 William Mefford Knightstown
2008 Eric Evans Greenfield
2009 Eric Evans Greenfield
Thundercars
Year Driver Hometown
2002 David Graham Rushville
2003 Chuck Cook
2004 Jeff Marcum Morristown
2005
2006
2007 Eric Evans Greenfield
2008 Kevin Claborn Cambridge City
2009 Ryan Amonett New Castle

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2009-07-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Claborn Win Late Model Main". Archived from the original on 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2009-07-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2009-07-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Home". mtlawn.com.