March 29, 2024

Column: Smashing time in Colfax

I had the opportunity to see the Colfax Demolition Derby last weekend, and I thought it was a great way to spend a Saturday night.

I haven’t ever been to a demolition derby before. It was never something that sounded interesting to me, but there wasn’t one I was aware where I was living before. My family typically went to baseball and football games, and while we didn’t mind racing or anything else having to do with cars, we simply didn’t make it a priority to attend.

My boyfriend Tim is a car guy, so when he asked if I had ever been to a demolition derby a few months ago, the answer was no. However, I immediately told him about the one held in Colfax every year, and we made plans to go.

I never thought seeing cars smash together would be so fun to watch. The cautious person in me thinks it’s far too dangerous to be doing. However, watching these demo car drivers race around, smashing into each other, it’s clear they knew what they were doing.

I wasn’t totally lost. I had seen a demolition derby portrayed in movies before, but that is nothing like watching it live.

If I’m being totally honest, watching the first beginners class was nerve-racking. It’s like watching a car accident happen, but this time it’s on purpose. It is intense to see them rev up the engines and then go as fast as they can toward the other car.

As the night went on, my initial fear dissipated, and I was just watching the action as if I had been doing to demo derbys my whole life. The mud was flying as the cars roared toward one another, connecting with a satisfying crunch as they hit the target.

There were a few tense moments. Two of the cars had fuel leaks, causing action to stop while they removed the car and cleaned up the gas. Another happened when one of the volunteers got knocked off the cinder block he was standing and into the area before the action was fully paused. He got up unscathed, but it was definitely scary to see. (He shouldn’t have been that close to the action, but I’m glad he was uninjured.)

The most enjoyable thing was sitting next to Tim, and he was pointing out things that were going wrong with the car and predicted how long it would be before they died. He was right most of the time.

For instance in the very first class, one of the cars was leaking transmission fluid like it was from a spigot and antifreeze right along with it. He leans over to me and tells me what it is and the car won’t be long for the competition. He was right. The car shifted into gear maybe twice more before becoming a pile of metal on the grid.

One of my favorite things happened before the destruction began. The event was kicked off by a Power Wheels derby. Kids ranging from ages 2 to 7 drove their little battery operated cars into one another for a set amount of time. My favorite tiny drivers were the two girls in the black mini Ford Mustang. At one point, the driver looked like she was crying but no, she was just mad. She snapped out of her fit then rammed full bore into the mini truck in front of her. It was a fun time for sure.

The Colfax event was overflowing with people. It was fantastic to see a local event so well attended. I couldn’t believe I had missed out on this before. There were no fires and no car ended up on its side or top, so I guess my demo derby experience isn’t complete. I can’t wait to go back next you to see all the car smashing again.

Contact Pam Rodgers
at prodgers@newtondailynews.com