DIALED IN: Chris and Shelby Mattingly’s Vision for U.S. 60 Dragway’s Future

U.S. 60 Dragway in Hardinsburg, Kentucky, is undergoing a massive renovation project from new owners Chris and Shelby Mattingly ever since the husband-and-wife team bought the vintage eighth-mile facility in April 2023. Chris has fond memories of first visiting this folksy dragstrip probably 20 years ago. “I actually came here to test my first dragster mid-week. J.D. Snead owned the track back then, and he told me to open the gate and come on in!” 

[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #190, the State of Drag Issue, in September/ October of 2024.]

Chris swung open the gate as if he owned the place, and now he finds himself doing the same thing, because he indeed does. “I contemplated buying the track for a little while, but not nearly long enough!” he laughs. He and Shelby are completely hands-on owners, present on race day probably 95% of the time, along with track manager Tyler Bohannon. “Racers like to see the owners present, and we like seeing them too!” Chris says. “We meet new people every week.” 

After closing the deal to buy the track early in 2023, the Mattinglys decided to operate the track just as it was, so they’d get a feel for the whole process of being track owners, but after they shut down for the winter, the renovations began in full force. Tearing down the old concession stand was the first order of business, electing to rebuild it in a different location. Brand-new restrooms and shower houses were also constructed. Next came brand-new LED lights and an upgraded PA system. “The lights were a mess here, and the new LEDs are much improved. We’ve probably quadrupled the amount of light from what we previously had,” says Chris. 

The track was also in need of a massive clean-up effort, which included clearing several acres of woods on the property. Afterwards, brand-new asphalt was laid in the pits, then on January 6 of this year, the massive restoration to the racing surface commenced. “Instead of digging up the old surface, we decided to use it as a base,” says Chris. The entire eighth-mile surface consists of brand-new concrete, and now measures 53 feet wide, which is six feet wider than before. New poured concrete walls were also installed to replace the old metal guardrails, and the lengthened shutdown area was also a welcomed improvement. 

The track surface renovation was no small undertaking, and was finished in the nick of time, since a big race was on the schedule, with tons of racers committed to attending. “We were out here all of April – rain or shine – beginning at daylight and staying until sometimes 4 o’clock in the morning,” says Shelby. It all came together, though, and the big race happened as planned. 

Special touches for a family-friendly atmosphere were placed in the pits, such as the giant bounce house for kids of all ages, and it’s open for use every weekend. 

U.S. 60 Dragway is for certain in the best shape of its entire 60-year history, but Chris and Shelby concur that this is only the beginning of what they’d like to accomplish here. “In addition to expanding the pits, we also plan to put in another exit at the end of the track,” explains Chris. “Currently we only have one exit, and so having another one would be very convenient for the racers who like to park down toward the end of the pits.” The Mattinglys had the foresight to buy the adjoining land at the back of the track when they made their initial purchase, so expanding wouldn’t be a problem moving forward. 

Chris and Shelby have ambitious plans to ramp up the racing action as well, with dreams of hosting big Pro Mod and radial events to complement an already huge roster of bracket and no-prep gatherings. U.S. 60 Dragway currently has a jam-packed schedule of events from May through November. 

“The racing business is getting better every week. We keep good records and we’re seeing more cars and more spectators every week. We’ve made a lot of progress to the facility, but we’re not even close to being done with all we want to do here,” concludes Chris.

This story was originally published on October 16, 2024.

The post DIALED IN: Chris and Shelby Mattingly’s Vision for U.S. 60 Dragway’s Future first appeared on Drag Illustrated.