Every September like an autumn ritual, I attend two demolition derbies. If you haven’t ever witnessed one of these events, you certainly are missing a real enjoyable time. Sixty to seventy full-sized dinosaur cars smash into each other in a series of heats.

Before the race, the field is sprayed down with water to make it slippery. Without the added water the ground would be too hard which would allow the cars too much tire traction. This could result in high speed crashes and injures to the drivers. The field will be occasionally be sprayed down between heats. Often the local fire department will bring a rig to the field and spray the water. Firefighters and emergency units are always present during the derby incase of fire or injury.

Five to seven cars line up backwards in direct opposition to a like number at the other side of the field. The starting flag is waved and the drivers attempt to back into their opponents with the objective of totally disabling their opponents vehicles. After the initial contact, a driver can then hit any car, anyplace with the exception of the driver’s door which is painted white. That is the most vulnerable and dangerous area for the driver. The preferable method of destruction is to go backwards into the other cars. The driver who hits an opponent with the front of his car is risking damage to his radiator which will cause the engine to overheat and eventually fail. The last two running cars of each heat are then removed from the tract and will again be in competition later in the final.

A driver is required to make contact with another care at least once every sixty seconds. If he fails to do so, either due to mechanical failure or just being scared, he is disqualified. If he intentionally hits an opponent in the driver’s side door, he most likely will also be disqualified. A judge watches the cars from the sideline. If a car is not moving, the judge will begin to swing the flag he is carrying back and forth. After swinging it sixty times, he will signal the driver that he is out of the derby. A flag is taped to the drivers window which is then broken off by the driver to tell the other drivers that he is no longer in the derby. The last car running in the final is the winner. In our local derby, the winner gets a whopping $150.00.

Much preparation is necessary in order to run a car in a demolition derby. All the glass is removed. The back seat is removed. The doors are welded shut so entrance now is gained by climbing through the windshield. The battery is moved to the interior of the car, usually at the floor next to the driver. The gas tank is removed and replaced with a five gallon tank that is now located behind the driver, usually on the passenger side of the car. It is also advantageous to remove the column shifter and connect a shifting mechanism directly to the transmission by the driver’s feet. If not, the column shifter may get bent and can no longer function. There is constant shifting of gears from reverse to forward during the contest. Also, the driver will usually prefer to yank out the old engine in the car and install one with only ten or 20 thousand miles on it. A low mileage engine will not heat up as quickly and thus lasts much longer before failing. The driver’s door is painted white with a number to identify his car. The driver is also required to wear a seatbelt and helmet. There are many other preparations needed which results in the driver putting many hours and money into his hobby.

Before the derby can begin, each vehicle must pass inspection. The inspector looks for illegal welds and added reinforcements that may pose danger for the other drivers. If a violation is found, the driver must immediately either correct it or remove his car from the derby. It is quite common to see last minute preparations being performed in numerous areas of the staging area. Welders are flashing, torches are blazing away metal, and quite often you will see a driver bashing some part of his car with a sledge hammer trying to get it into working order. When the tires are inspected, they are spray painted with vertical lines the “color” of the day. That is to insure that the driver does not change the tires to a rating that my be forbidden or overly reinforced.

Our Labor Day derby is special. It is the day when ladies will compete in the derby. It is also the only day that station wagons are allowed to compete. The cheers are often long and loud for the competing ladies.

So, the next time you hear about a demolition derby at your local county or state fair, treat yourself and your family to a great evening! Watch the derby!
                                                    
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