Demolition derby draws large crowd, small field of participants

0
421

GREENFIELD — With thick blue smoke pouring out of his engine, Anthony Collins reached out his open window and lowered his blue flag. 

Kevin Bryant got in one last crunching hit, but before long, only one crumpled car was still running: the No. 99 car of Matt Pfeiffer. 

Pfeiffer, of Greenfield, owns Mueller Auto Body and has participated in the Hancock County 4-H Fair Demolition Derby on and off for several years, he said. He participated this year alongside his father, Mike Pfeiffer, whose No. 12 car limped out of the muddy ring behind a tractor tow with a broken drive shaft. 

Pfeiffer said it’s been a few years since he participated, but his dad got him into the pastime years ago. 

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

“It used to be a lot bigger deal,” he said. 

They joined just three other cars in the ring for this year’s demolition derby, a low number of participants that had some audience members asking for refunds. 

While more than 200 people attended the event, the crowd was quiet during lulls in the event. Savvy audience members brought large umbrellas to tuck into the fence at the top of the stands, blocking the late afternoon sun. 

The first big roar of the night came during the garden tractor derby, when a hit from one tractor sent the red tractor of David Stapleton of Greenfield onto two wheels. 

Amanda Andrus, a Greenfield resident who moved here recently, attended the county fair’s demolition derby for the first time on Friday. 

“It’s good for the most part,” she said. “I wish it went a little faster.” 

Dawson Stone of Greenfield brought his 8-year-old son to the event, which disappointed him when they learned only five drivers signed up for the derby. 

“I tried to get my money back, and they wouldn’t let me, so that’s why I’m still here,” he said. 

The derby was organized for the first time this year by International Demolition Derby, a northern Indiana business owned and operated by Dennis and Nicki Nelson. The couple and their employees put on 21 demolition derbies in five different states, Dennis Nelson said. They travel some 7,300 miles in just 90 days during county fair season, he said. 

Nelson said the low numbers are indicative of a larger trend in demolition derbies. 

“At a lot of county fairs, the counts are going down,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of time and money involved.” 

He said the headline event, which involves passenger cars stripped of glass, headlights and other parts that can cause injury, is best with a field of 25 to 30 participants. 

Josh Phares, president of the Hancock County 4-H Agricultural Association, said it was great to see so many people come to the event.

“People like seeing cars hit each other,” he laughed. “It’s a contact sport where nobody gets hurt in the end.” 

He hopes more drivers will decide to participate in next year’s demolition derby, he said. 

“It’s hard to get cars to come out for the first year,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some drivers in the crowd, scoping out the rules.” 

The most enthusiastic crowd members of the night were the youngsters, especially when organizers threw beach balls and other prizes to the crowd members. 

Jack Stone of McCordsville said he enjoyed the derby last year. He knows how to build dune buggies and other small vehicles, so he considered participating in the future. 

But for the most part, the splashing mud and roaring engines aren’t for the grown-ups, he said. 

“It’s a place to come for the kids,” he said. 

And at least one kiddo had a great night. 

Collin Palmer of Morristown was chosen from the crowd to participate in the kids’ demolition derby, which involved youngsters age 3 to 9 driving electric Power Wheels-type cars into each other. 

Palmer, 9, had never driven in a demolition derby before, but he won the event, earning a cash prize and a trophy. 

Collin’s uncle, Kevin Bryant, drove the No. 26 car in the regular demolition derby, and a large contingent of friends and family in the crowd cheered for both of them. 

Though Collin earned the first-place award for most hits, he didn’t feel like a veteran derby driver, he said. 

“I don’t feel like my uncle yet,” he said. “I’m just happy.”