Gossar wins William Mefford 46 at Mt Lawn

Mother Nature provided the fans, drivers and crews on hand for a “Sunday in the country” at Mt. Lawn Speedway with great July weather. Spectators were treated to another eventful evening packed with racing, gift giveaways and a professional firework display put on by Indy Pyrotechnics that could be seen and heard for miles away.

Over 75 racecars could be seen in the pits at 3/10 mile egg-shaped oval of Mt. Lawn Speedway, located west of New Castle on Sunday July 12. The slated schedule featured the Pro Compacts presented by Fields Auto Parts, along with the Claborn Motors open-wheel Modifieds, the Van Hoy Oil Thunder Cars, the Owens Electric Factory Stock Front Wheel Drives, the Tony Stewart Drywall Crown Vics, and the American Vintage Sprint Car Association.

In their only appearance for the 2020 season, the Pro Compacts presented by Fields Auto Parts competed in the inaugural running of the William Mefford 46. The race was scheduled to honor the late William Mefford. Mefford was a longtime competitor at Mt Lawn and three-time winner of the Raintree 100. New Castle’s Rodney Sutton set fast time in qualifying with a lap time of 18.354 and would start the race on the outside of row four, after an invert of eight was drawn.

Brian Slavey, of New Castle, would jump out to the early lead on lap 1. The lead was short lived as Slavey encountered a mechanical failure on lap 2 causing him to spin going into turn 3 that brought out the first of only two cautions for the race. Sutton led the next 15 laps before Josh Fults, of Indianapolis, would move into the lead. Soon after Fults took the lead, Markleville’s Trent Gossar moved into second and began putting pressure on Fults for the lead. Fults would lead 11 laps before his car pushed up the track coming off turn 4, creating an opening on the inside for Gossar to take over the lead. Gossar never faced any contention and sailed on to the victory. Sutton finished the race second, followed by Mark Jennings, Chris Jennings and Devin Bowman.

The Claborn Motors Modifieds saw a familiar face in victory lane, and several more competing for the top spot, as Knightstown’s Jeff Lane returned for his second feature win of the season. Lane took advantage of his pole position starting spot, which was a result of the qualifying invert. Lane’s #26 grabbed the lead on lap 1 and kept the field of 14 cars in his rear-view for the entire 30-lap event. Fast qualifier Andy Cowan of Modoc, 2001 winner of the Raintree 100, ran second all race and had an opportunity to challenge Lane for the win with a restart on lap 28. Ft Wayne’s Scott Coe, former track champion of Baer Field Speedway, lined up behind Lane in third with 5-time Raintree 100 winner Harold Scott in fourth. Lane would protect the low side of the track for the final two laps and roll on to the checkered flag, claiming back-to-back feature wins after winning the season opener on June 14. Cowan crossed the finish line in second followed by Coe, Scott and Don Skaggs of Modoc. Ryan Amonett of New Castle won the 4-lap Sunnyside motors dash with a last lap pass of Jeremy Jackson.

The other races provided thrilling action and many clean laps of side-by-side racing. Kevin Claborn of Cambridge City claimed his first feature win of the season in the Van Hoy Oil Thunder Cars after starting the race in seventh. Cambridge City’s Frankie Oakes would cross the line in second, followed by Josh Owens of New Castle, AJ Stewart of Lewisville and David McConnell of Shirley. Travis Lee won the Payne’s Auto Sales and Parts dash. A near full field of 21 drivers took the green flag in the Owens Electric Factory Stock Front Wheel Drive feature. It was Ronnie Constant who would see the checkers fly first, winning his first feature of the year.

Chuck Cook, Jeff Marlow, Johnathon Claywell and Jacob Johnson would round out the top five. Christopher Gray won the Hilltop Drive Inn dash with Cody Griffin and Marlow winning the heat races. Josh Fults and John Lister were side-by-side for the final two laps of the Tony Stewart Drywall Crown Vic feature, but it was Fults who claimed the victory. Lister finished second followed by Bradley Winters, Corey Wooten and Eli Haynes. Wooten won the Tony Stewart Drywall dash and Winters claimed the heat. Gary Dunkle claimed first place in the American Vintage Sprint Car Association feature. Dan Ingram, Roy Caruthers, Tim Parke and Jamie York compiled the top five.

After going thru tech the Modified and Stock compact winners did not pass giving the wins to the second place finishers.

The next event at Mt. Lawn will be on July 26 th , which will feature the Claborn Motors LLC Modifieds in a 50-lap feature. Joining the Modifieds will be Van Hoy Oil Thunder Cars in the AT& I Services 50 , Factory Stock Front Wheel Drives, Crowns Vics, Spectator Drags and Vintage Sprint Cars. Racing begins at 6 pm with a $10 admission for the grandstands