Demolition derby rocks Colfax again

COLFAX — Colfax’s annual demolition derby delivered promising entertainment once again as 2,000 people punched their tickets to watch 53 drivers smash into each other Saturday night.

Organizer Brad Magg even claimed it as one of the best years of the very popular demolition derby since it first formed as a fundraiser for Colfax Main Street eight summers ago. The weather was perfect, the event attracted people as far away as Missouri and even a bachelorette group, and seating was more spread out than previous years with the help of additional sets of bleachers.

“Everything went very smoothly and perfectly as planned, which basically never happens,” Magg said Sunday afternoon while volunteers cleaned up at the Jasper County Fairgrounds. “Normally at this point of the weekend everyone is burned out and tired, but everyone is still in good moods today and happy with how everything went. If we can have it go like this every year, we’d be very happy.”

In the week leading up to the derby, rain remained in the forecast and Magg was preparing for some wet weather. However, a few showers on Friday passed by the time Saturday rolled around and the only time spectators got wet during the event was when the Colfax firetruck in charge of dampening the derby grounds in between heats briefly sprayed the stands with the fire hose.

“One of the big factors that really helped this year was the fact that it was dry,” Magg said. “Whenever it rains the ground becomes a mud hole. We were very lucky that the rain on Friday didn’t stick around, and it was that dry back there.”

In case it did rain bags of wood chips were on standby to fill in any problematic mud puddles, but they were not needed.

Spectators saw four classes of wrecking-mobiles compete in the ring including a powderpuff class, a minivan/pickup truck group, small compact cars and a class for large cars. But before the big engines rolled into the arena, the power wheels derby gave more than a dozen kid-drivers an opportunity to do some smashing of their own.

The power wheels derby was a returning event from last year and was again sponsored by Cratty Shack.

All funds raised during the event, including ticket and concession stand sales, will benefit Colfax Main Street. A fundraising grand total was not available by presstime.

The demolition derby was not the only event happening in Colfax on Saturday as the classic car show made a return and attracted 73 vintage automobiles to West Front Street. Numerous door prizes and nearly 30 car show awards were given away this past weekend, including a people’s choice award won by Tim Wikert showing his 1969 Dodge Charger.

However, one of the biggest discussion topics from Saturday’s show was an inaugural valve cover racing tournament.

Competitors were instructed to build a racer by using an automotive engine valve cover for the body. the racers had to weigh less than 10 pounds and be no longer than 30 inches.

First to hit the downhill track were the kids, who set their racers at the starting line and waited at the bottom to see if their’s would beat out their competitors’.

Immediately following the youngsters were the adult races, which brought upon some competitiveness between a few car enthusiasts. The adult tournament was won by Jon Hake and 4-year-old Annabelle Wing earned first place for the kids.

All in all, organizers said the return of the car show was a success due to help from volunteers and great weather.

“All week the forecast said about 50 percent chance of rain,” one of four organizers Gary Jones said. “So we kind of lowered our expectations and thought if we could get 40 to 50 cars we’d be pretty happy. All of a sudden they just kept coming in. It was a good show this year.”

Contact Alex Olp at aolp@newtondailynews.com