Demolition derby at SEMO District Fair draws 3,000 spectators

Car 18, driven by Austin Hahs of Oak Ridge with Jon McMillen of Friedheim, Mo., crashes into another during the demolition derby Tuesday night at the SEMO District Fair. (Fred Lynch) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Linder's white No. 6 car awaited the start of his heat during the annual SEMO District Fair demolition derby. With a signal of "let's go crazy" from the announcer, the derby began.

Even though only one driver from the minicar divison and one from the feature car division were declared the champions, Linder believed all participants valued the thrill of the competition as much as the glory that came with finishing first place.

"While most of us won't win, we still have a blast out there," said Linder just before the start of the race, his second consecutive year to compete in the derby. "For me it's a cheap hobby that brings me hours of fun."

Linder was among the drivers who arrived nearly nine hours before the start of the derby so they could put the finishing touches on their cars.

The four-hour event featured mud flying from underneath tires, engines smoking and bumpers flying off vehicles. Drivers competed in a series of heats to declare a champion in each division.

Officials with Auto Race Promotions of Montgomery City, Mo., said 48 full stock cars and 31 minicars were registered for the derby. That's more than the 65 that were entered last year and the most since the company began limiting the derby to 80 cars three years ago.

Matt Warner of Jackson cheered on his friends as they raced. Warner has been attending for more than 30 years and said cars slamming into each other never gets old.

"Watching them makes me wish I could get into the derby one day," Warner said. "The wetter the mud, the better. I love watching them slip and slide around."

Even though Lee Miller of Grassy, Mo., has raced for 10 years in the fair derby, Tuesday was a first for him. Miller's daughter, Deborah, accompanied him in his 1993 Dodge Shadow.

"Having her next to me means the world to me," Miller said. "I enjoy this each and every year because it's cheap competition. When the track is slick, it can make things really interesting."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

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