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Reckless driving a good thing at derby
Jun 18, 2009 | 975 views | 2 
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Zeb Hansen and Travis Nielson’s cars flare up during demolition derby action last year. This year’s Deseret Peak Demolition Derby will be held on Saturday.
- photography / Maegan Burr
- photography / Maegan Burr
The first of two demolition derbies this summer at Deseret Peak Complex is scheduled for Saturday with gates opening at 4 p.m. and the derby starting at 6 p.m. After Saturday’s car-bashing, a second auto-destroying event is scheduled during the Tooele County Fair on Aug. 1.
“Hopefully, we’ll have a few more cars on Saturday than we did last year during the first derby. We’ve heard we’ll have a few more local drivers and a few out-of-towners. Last year we didn’t have anybody from out of town,” said derby director Rob Bender.
The reason for the lack of cars last year came because of a dispute about welding. A rule change did not allow welding on the cars and some regular demolition derby drivers boycotted the event.
“I think they realize now that we aren’t going to change the rules. It’s basically the same rules as last year,” Bender said. “We will, however, let them weld the doors this year.”
Also, there are fewer cars for the first derby of the summer because of other derbies held around the state during the same weekend. Tooele County Fair Demolition Derby pays more to the winners and there are more participants.
“The people who drove in the derby last year loved the rules and guys who didn’t stand a chance before did well because the rule change evened the playing field,” Bender said. “It makes it more exciting too because the cars crush and it’s safer for the drivers.”
The complaint about welding was that some cars were nearly indestructible.
Arnie Hunt, who owns Westside Auto in Grantsville, likes the no-weld rule for another reason — it’s easier to get his cars ready for the derby.
“It takes a lot less time to get cars ready and it evens the playing field. I really don’t know if it’s any safer though,” Hunt said.
Westside Auto will have three drivers competing including Arnie’s son Taylor Hunt, Cody Nielson and Travis Nielson.
“I’m not driving,” Arnie said, “but it is a big rush to be out their during a demolition derby.”
Some of the drivers will also compete during a Figure 8 race which was added last year and seemed to be a big hit with fans.
The winner of the derby will earn $2,000 with second place earning $1,200 and third place $700.
Mark Watson: mwatson@tooeletranscript.com
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comments (2)
« punish-all-criminals wrote on Friday, Jun 19 at 04:07 PM »
not to mention the cost of transporting cars to the event and the cost to run the cars
« gov wrote on Friday, Jun 19 at 03:16 PM »
I bet they have 10 cars at this derby and thats it.... The turnout is not because of other derby's this weekend, its because of the rule change...
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