I’ve had some great experiences at Albany, Indiana’s Muncie Dragway over the years, and I fondly recall the first time I ever visited this vintage facility 14 years ago. The 2011 season at Muncie Dragway indeed got off to an uncertain start, as then-track owner Dave Himes unexpectedly passed away in January, a mere three months before the new racing season was to begin. Dave’s widow, Dianne, was successful in her quest to open the track in April, as was the tradition ever since she and Dave bought the track back in 2007.
Editor’s Note: This column originally appeared in DI #196, the State of Drag Issue, in Sept./Oct. of 2025.
I always regretted never meeting Dave, especially since so many people communicated to me how much he loved this historic facility and dreamed of owning it long before it became a reality. I remember thinking this track had an unmistakable charm to it, and I loved the fact that this time-honored, quarter-mile facility was once a national event, split-lane track, with a grassy section that separated the lanes for the entire 1,320 feet.
In fact, there’s some awesome YouTube footage of the 1973 IHRA Northern Nationals from Muncie, and it shows Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars scorching the pavement of this unique track. I just stumbled upon this video footage a couple weeks ago, and I was thrilled to learn that our local racer, Barry Setzer (who lived in Hickory, North Carolina), went all the way to the finals in Funny Car at this 1973 event.
The grassy center section that’s seen in this YouTube footage was eventually concreted to the eighth mile, although present-day Muncie Dragway still features its split-lane configuration from the 660-foot mark all the way to the shutdown. This month’s column photo shows Rick Shreves heating the hides of his Chevy Nova, and if you look closely over the top of his car, you can see the grassy section separating the lanes.
I remember many things about my first visit back in 2011, especially meeting Yancey Johnson, who worked at the track and is something of a historian regarding all things Muncie. During my weekend stay, Yancey showed me his photo album from the aforementioned IHRA Northern Nationals in 1973! He also explained how three local car clubs – The Muncie Chariots, The Rod Benders, and the Crusaders – were instrumental in getting this track opened way back in 1959.
Johnson is a serious collector of Muncie Dragway memorabilia, and he proudly showed me the crown jewel of his collection: the first trophy ever won at Muncie Dragway, dated June 6, 1959! Local racer Carl Thomas drove his 1951 Mercury to the opening-day win, and more than a half-century later, Carl wound up giving Yancey his trophy because he was certain Yancey would treasure it more than anyone else he could think of.
Amazingly, Yancey told me back in 2011 that Carl still lived locally, still owned the 1951 Mercury that he put in the winner’s circle on opening day, and even made a pass in the car during the 2010 nostalgia race at Muncie!
I’ve been to this track probably seven or eight times since 2011, and that first visit was quite memorable. Perhaps the only memory that sticks in my head more vividly was the day I met the new track owner, who was literally wearing a monkey costume on the day we met! True story.
Scott and Dawn Daniels bought Muncie Dragway in 2012, and a marketing guru they knew insisted that every successful business has a mascot, so alas, the “Muncie Monkey” was born! All involved (especially Dawn) firmly believed that Scott was the perfect specimen to suit up in the hairy monkey outfit! Thankfully, I was in town shortly after the monkey idea became a reality and I got to enjoy the spectacle in its earliest exploits.
Scott removed the monkey head just long enough to shake my hand and introduce himself as the new owner, then resumed working the crowd into a frenzy by throwing prizes to them! It was quite obvious that the loveable and generous monkey was an instant hit, just as it was clear that Scott had a healthy sense of humor! I later learned that his work ethic was just as robust, as the Daniels couple takes a lot of pride in the facility and have made many updates to the track, all while preserving the charm of yesteryear.
The season schedule is always filled with many great events, with everything from big-money bracket races to nostalgia meets, along with Night of Fire events featuring jet cars, wheelstanders, fireworks each night, and so much more.
If it’s ever been your desire to strike out across the country, visiting dragstrips you’ve never experienced, I highly recommend making a stop in America’s Heartland and visiting this historic slice of drag racing heaven!
This story was originally published on October 14, 2025.
The post On the Road: Indiana’s Muncie Dragway first appeared on Drag Illustrated.