The Garden City Telegram
Email this story | Add Your Comment
| Read (0) Comments
Saturday smash-up
Published 7/14/2008 in News : Area coverage
By EMILY BEHLMANN
ebehlmann@gctelegram.com
DIGHTON -- The hood of Ryan Johnson's car had been pounded flat with sledgehammers Saturday night, and a small fire burned at the front of the vehicle.
Friends of the Dighton driver were changing two of his tires when, without warning, Johnson took off running and hopped on the back of a pick-up truck. He was off to retrieve the car's discarded front bumper and set about reattaching it.
The car hadn't been in an accident.
No, this damage had been intentional, caused in a pit of mud by drivers of equally beat-up cars all trying to outlast their opponents in the demolition derby at the Lane County Fair.
The destruction is part of the appeal of demolition derby, several drivers said.
"It's road rage you can take out on somebody," said Jaris Zerr of Hoxie.
Saturday's derby was the third his car had endured, and in the 20 minutes drivers were allowed between heats, he tried to get it ready for another go.
"You have to piece her back together for next time," Zerr said.
Despite his work, he said, he doubted if the car would last another derby. He'd have to start over with a new one in the hobby that can take a lot of time and a lot of money, he said.
To prepare a car for a demolition derby is to "gut it down to the bare bones," said driver Kyle Lopez of Scott City.
That means removing all glass, lights and other extras. Then drivers start reinforcing the car, with steps like chaining the bumpers to help keep them attached, installing bars for driver protection and changing to stronger tires.
Lopez said he does it for the "adrenaline rush."
The crowd that filled the grandstand at the Lane County Fairgrounds seemed to like it, too.
They cheered at particularly hard hits and clapped as a car continued on without a tire, as members of the Lane County Volunteer Fire Department watched with fire extinguishers in hand.
They watched closely as bulldozers rolled out into the mud pit and separated two cars that had been stuck together.
Saturday's derby was part of the Outlaw Demo Tour 2008, sponsored by Outlaw, a group that promotes demolition derbies. The group was selling T-shirts and hats, with proceeds going toward winning drivers, said Shelly Hibbert, who helps her husband, Joe, with derby promotion.
The tour will continue in Cimarron on Saturday, Garden City Aug. 2, Liberal Aug. 8 and Cimarron again on Sept. 20.
Found 0 comment(s)!
Twitter Updates
