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For some, the fair is a chance to get fluffy, fresh cotton candy and play a game of chance. For others, with livestock, pets and children in tow, making the annual trip to the Park County Fair is …
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For some, the fair is a chance to get fluffy, fresh cotton candy and play a game of chance. For others, with livestock, pets and children in tow, making the annual trip to the Park County Fair is about participation and community.
And then there are those who just want to smash their vehicle.
The thrill comes in the form of hard, fender-bending hits with smoke billowing from their beefed up motors. Some won’t call it quits even when minus a wheel. The spectacle of demolition derby draws the fair’s largest crowds. Few will ever enter, but most have had at least a passing dream of legal mayhem in their motor vehicle.
The big prize comes in the form of a fat check. But only one driver in the top class will go home with the biggie-sized trophy.
“It takes a lot of time and money. It can cost you more to build a car than you can win,” said Don Adams, derby organizer. “But if you’re in the derby for the money, you’re in it for the wrong reason.”
For most competitors, running in a derby is about the fun of building a car and the camaraderie of those willing to meet at the start line. It helps build lifelong friendships that transcend the sport and strengthens family bonds. Some have affectionately called it the “oddball brotherhood.”
Kyle McIntosh took home first in the fair’s 2018 demo derby. Even when he knew he had first in the bag, he was trying to help second-place finisher Christeena Murdock get back into action for one last smash.
“I was hoping to battle it out with [Christeena] a little longer. She had a good car. It’s a shame she lost reverse,” McIntosh said after the 2018 derby.
Murdock was thrilled with second place. In her debut, she was nervous until the first hard hit. Then she went looking for revenge.
“It was awesome,” she said.
There are four classes of contests: chain, compact, truck and limited-weld class. The limited-weld class is the big money, main event. The 2019 derby starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, at the fair’s Main Grandstands. But the gates open at 5 p.m. for those wanting the best seats.
Tickets range from $18 to $25 and can be purchased at www.parkcountyfair.com or at the box office at the fairgrounds.
