Mt Lawn Speedway is a 3/10 mile Asphalt

Asphalt

Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...

 egg-shaped oval track located in Greensboro, Henry County, Indiana

Henry County, Indiana

As of the census of 2000, there were 48,508 people, 19,486 households, and 13,971 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 20,592 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...

.

History

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

Hartford City, Indiana

Hartford City is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Blackford County. Located in the northeast central portion of the state, the small farming community experienced a 15-year “boom” beginning in the late 1880s...

. At the time of the tracks 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

The Dorsey Brothers

The Dorsey Brothers were a studio group fronted by musicians Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. They started recording under their name in 1928 with a series of studio recordings for the OKeh label...

 and Sammy Kaye

Sammy Kaye

Sammy Kaye , born Samuel Zarnocay, Jr., was an American bandleader and songwriter, whose tag line, "Swing and sway with Sammy Kaye", became one of the most famous of the Big Band Era.-Biography:...

. However in 1939 a fire caused by a overheated exhaust fan in the orchestra pit led to the dance halls first demise. When the hall was rebuilt, a second fire caused by a coal-powered fireplace

Fireplace

A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...

 led to the dancehalls 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 Hertz visited the area looking for a lighting system for a track that he was constructing known as the Muncie Vellodrome located in Muncie, Indiana

Muncie, Indiana

Muncie is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. It is the principal city of the Muncie, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 118,769...

. 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, Hertz 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.

The Big Four

There are four big events that are currently ran at The Mt. Lawn Speedway. The May 5-0, which is held the day before the Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...

, The Raintree 100 which is a 100-lap Late Model stock car event, The Founders Day 100, a 100-lap Thunder Car Division race, and finally the Stock Car Extravaganza, which is a 2-day event. The Extravaganza lineup can change from year to year.

Raintree 100 Winners

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
The Raintree 100 is Mt. Lawn's biggest and most recognized event of the year. It is run in July of every year. The Raintree features Mt. Lawn's premier class, currently the Late Model division.
|-
! Year
! Driver
! Hometown
|-
| 1971
| Gene Prosser
| New Castle
|-
| 1972
| Dennis Miles
| Muncie
|-
| 1973
| L.J. Lines
| Greensboro
|-
| 1974
| Harold Scott
| New Castle
|-
| 1975
| Harold Scott
| New Castle
|-
| 1976
| L.J. Lines
| Indianapolis
|-
| 1977
| Rocky Tharp
| Cowan
|-
| 1978
| Bob Fields
| Willow Branch
|-
| 1979
| Harold Scott
| New Castle
|-
| 1980
| Jim Spears
| Noblesville
|-
| 1981
| Harold Scott
| New Castle
|-
| 1982
| L.J. Lines
| Indianapolis
|-
| 1983
| Harold Scott
| New Castle
|-
| 1984
| Bob Fields
| Willow Branch
|-
| 1985
| Bob Fields
| Willow Branch
|-
| 1986
| Herb Rose
| Anderson
|-
| 1987
| Rick Rhonemus
| Desoto
|-
| 1988
| Dave Duncan
| Cicero
|-
| 1989
| Dave Duncan
| Cicero
|-
| 1990
| Rick Rhonemus
| Desoto
|-
| 1991
| Don Skaggs
| Modoc
|-
| 1992
| Rick Rhonemus
| Desoto
|-
| 1993
| Rick Rhonemus
| Desoto
|-
| 1994
| L.J. Lines
| Indianapolis
|-
| 1995
| Rodney Scott
| New Castle
|-
| 1996
| Joe Beaver
| Noblesville
|-
| 1997
| Jeff Lane
| Knightstown
|-
| 1998
| Gerald Hinshaw
| Mooreland
|-
| 1999
| Rodney Scott
| New Castle
|-
| 2000
| William Mefford
| Knightstown
|-
| 2001
| Andy Cowan
| Cambridge City
|-
| 2002
| Gerald Hinshaw
| Mooreland
|-
| 2003
| Scott Neal
| Mt Summit
|-
| 2004
| William Mefford
| Knightstown
|-
| 2005
| Scott Hinshaw
| Indianapolis
|-
| 2006
| Scott Hinshaw
| Indianapolis
|-
| 2007
| William Mefford
| Knightstown
|-
| 2008
| Terry Cater
| New Castle
|-
| 2009
| Kevin Claborn
| Cambridge City
| 2010- 2011
Jeff Marcum
Morristown

}

Divisions

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. The "current" Late Model Division made its debut on May 13, 2000. Six cars were at the track on opening night. 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.

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".

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

Past Champions

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
Late Models
|-
! 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
|}

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
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
|}