Last car running wins

Imagine bumper cars. Bumper cars plus dirt and revving engines.\nThe Monroe County Fair’s Demolition Derby began with a bang in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday night.\nBulldozers lined the Grandstand arena at the Monroe County Fairgrounds as volunteers watered the dirt for the upcoming demolition derby. Families filled the bleachers and waited for live-action bumper cars.\nWally Hamilton, chairman of the demolition derby and a retired driver, gave a prep talk to all the drivers about 20 minutes before the first race. He ordered the drivers to line up their cars so they could pull into the arena in an orderly fashion.\nThe objective was simple: The last car running wins.\nHamilton explained that there were about 90 cars driving in the derby throughout the 10 different races. He said the derby receives the highest attendance of any event during the fair.\nGraffiti-decorated cars revved into the arena and began to smash and collide. Most drivers drove backward, knocking other cars off their wheels and spinning them around.\nBloomfield resident and derby driver Shawn Clayton has been driving for more than 20 years. He said he had a friend who owned a car that was never going to be driven. Clayton then took the car and began his derby driving days.\nClayton said that being a part of the derby is fun and serves as a way of releasing stress.\n“It becomes an adrenaline rush. You put so much time and effort into the cars,” he said, “and you go out there and destroy them. It’s a relief.”\nClayton said throughout his driving career he has only received minor injuries – such as broken ribs. He jokingly said his wife would probably disagree with him on that.\n“(The cars are) pretty safe,” he said. “Well, as safe as drivers make them.”\nFirefighters, paramedics and sheriff’s deputies lined the gate of the arena in case of an emergency. Hamilton explained that there are certain safety regulations for the cars in the derby. Drivers must remove all glass, chrome and plastic from their vehicles. Also, the driver’s door must be welded shut for protection, the gas tank must be relocated to the backseat and all drivers must wear a helmet and a seat belt.\nDuring the last 10 years while working for the Monroe County Fair board, Hamilton said the worst injuries he has seen was a dislocated shoulder, a few lacerations, third degree burns and some cases of mild whip lash. \nSarah Inman, a paramedic for the Bloomington Hospital Ambulance Services, said the event always leads to minor cuts and scrapes. She said the paramedics were on the scene and ready for any major injuries.\nShe said the worst injuries she can recall while working a demolition derby are a clavicle injury and some head injuries. \n“Although a lot of times (the drivers) don’t want to be seen after an injury,” Inman said. \nThe Van Buren Township Fire Department waited alongside the arena with fire extinguishers as the cars rammed into each other. Firefighter Rusty Clark said most of the cars don’t get much hotter than an average car driving up and down the road, but some cars will “bust a transmission” and look like they’re on fire.\n“Fires are frequent but pretty small,” he said.\nClark said there have been times during the derby that they have had to flip a car back over and even cut open the vehicles with hydraulics. He added that the fire department was present and ready for anything might occur. \nAudience members roared as each car began revving its engine. Bloomington resident Tammy Hoene and her son Bryan sat on the bleachers with fixed eyes on the cars destroying each other. \nHoene said her son has been going to the derby since he was a little kid and is usually interested in the show during the beginning. She said she’s always been to the derby and thoroughly enjoys it.\n“They’re loud. (I love) the crashes,” she said. “They put on a really good show.”