
To performance parts enthusiasts, cars are more than just ways to get from one place to another. They’re treasured investments, works of art, even loyal friends. The last thing they would want to do is deliberately wreck a vehicle. Yet there is an entire class of motor sports devoted to doing just that. It’s called demolition derby, and it’s as American as hot dogs, apple pie or a ’66 Mustang.
The glory days of the demolition derby were in the 1950s and 60s, when an abundance of heavy frame vehicles with massive engines made it a cheap pastime to get into. The all time champ of derby cars was the 1964-66 Chrysler Imperial. It’s considered so unbeatable that it’s banned from most events. The sport reached its height of popularity in the 1970s, and then began a slow decline caused largely by a dwindling supply of the sturdy, high powered machines that were the traditional vehicles of choice. It survives to this day, however, as a popular event at county fairs and festivals.
While it has a reputation as a dangerous activity, derby participants rarely suffer serious injuries. A number of safety measures help to protect them, including the removal of windows, windshields, headlights, trim, and plastic. Colliding with the driver’s side door is strictly prohibited, and in fact that door is usually painted white to set it apart as off-limits. Helmets and seat belts must be worn.
The vehicles are frequently modified in other ways. Radiators, batteries and gas tanks are moved to the back seat. Oftentimes roll bars and fire extinguishers are installed, doors are welded shut, rear coil springs are replaced with leaf springs, frames are notched, and rear bumpers are removed. Car numbers and driver names are spray painted in bright, gaudy colors that are easy to see.
The goal of the contest is simple: be the last car able to move. To reduce vehicle speed, derbies are usually held in dirt or grassy fields that are soaked in water, making the wheels partially bog down. As far as tactics go, there are basically two schools of thought among competitors. One stresses driving the vehicle backwards and aiming it at the competitor’s engine compartment. The other philosophy is much simpler: just drive forward as fast as possible, aim for any part of the other car that you can hit, and let the pieces and parts fall where they may. Both approaches have been used successfully by champion drivers.
There have been a few innovations to the sport in the last few decades. One has been the growing popularity of derbies using smaller, quicker cars with four cylinder engines and lighter frames. These events tend to be crowd pleasers, as wrecks occur at greater speeds and vehicles get shoved around more than in the old days. This of course entails a greater risk for the drivers. Another trend is to allow modified vehicles to join in, rather than only permitting machines with stock parts. These are known as “gladiator” or “outlaw” derbies. Cars that participate in these contests have usually been heavily reinforced.
As mentioned before, demolition derbies don’t draw in the crowds quite as much as they did back in the day. Nonetheless, there are still plenty of events across the country to thrill fans, especially in the summer and autumn months. A great web site with lots of information about the sport is www.wecrash.com. There you’ll find a schedule of derbies across the country, as well as tons of other information.
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