Avilla Dragway

Nothing left

Held a street nationals in 1977, said to be the first in the country

Raced: 1965-95
State: Indiana
What's left: The site was redeveloped and nothing of the strip remains.
On the site today: McDonald's and a gas station
Raced on: Built as a drag strip
Last race: September 15, 1995
Track: 1/8 mile
Location: State Road 8, east of Avilla
People: Howard Bice, builder and owner
Elevation: 945 ft (288 m)
Coordinates: 41.36383, -85.22290

Howard Bice built this eighth-mile strip beside his oval speedway on State Road 8, east of Avilla. In 1977 he started a street nationals there, said to be the first anywhere. The last drag race ran on September 15, 1995, eight days before the speedway closed, and the strip was later bulldozed for a McDonald’s and a gas station.

Video

1998 aerial view of demolished Avilla Speedway and Dragway. According to DSL reader Bob Koorsen, the drag strip "was immediately to the west of the oval track. The south end of what is shown as Bice Blvd WAS the shut-down end of the strip, including the turnaround at the far end."

Nicholas Place sits atop the northern part of Avilla Dragway

Video

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