Muncie Motor Speedway

The Muncie Motor Speedway first opened in 1965 as the Muncie Raceway. It reopened in 1972 as the Muncie Motor Speedway, but closed again at the end of the 1973 season. Reopened in 1985, after renovations were completed, and offered around 20 races per week, including late model, sportsman, street stock, figure-8, and mini-stock races. While the first four races were also available in Anderson, the mini-stock races were exclusive to Muncie.

The track was just over a quarter mile long, and was in a figure-8 shape. The Motor speedway offered “suites,” which was unique to a racing track, that seated 20. It was a popular venue, with wins frequently being announced in the papers. 

The Muncie Motor Speedway closed in 1990 after lead contamination was discovered on site and at dump sites nearby, with waste from Muncie’s Sanitary District and from Delco Remy, and up to 40 others. As a result of the lead contamination, residents near the dump sites had to undergo blood testing, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was heavily involved with the cleanup plans. While the contamination was discovered in early 1990, it took until mid-1993 to begin the cleanup.

The Muncie sanitary district was made to pay around $2.5 million towards cleanup, as well as funding that went toward testing, and in 1993, which they tried to push onto citizens by raising utility rates. When last reported on in 1997, the cleanup was not yet done, with continuing testing of the groundwater contamination still being conducted and cleanup still underway. The site is abandoned.