TURLOCK -- It's loud, DC-10-zooming-down-the-runway-loud, auto parts are flying, dust clouds waft and 4,000 fans scream.
It's Destruction Derby. Buy a ticket and witness road rage's ultimate extension. If you've ever rubber-necked at a fender-bender or chased an occasional fire engine, you've found your favorite event.
Destruction Derby appeals to base instincts, the ones that demand a thrill connected with a "boom." In tough economic times, is there a better stress reliever than watching stripped-down cars ripping around the arena in reverse, looking for trouble?
The 98th Stanislaus County Fair possesses no hotter ticket. It's more hot, in fact, than a steaming radiator awaiting the kill shot. There is excitement galore all week, from rodeos to mud bogs at the FoodMaxx Arena, but the masses love car wrecks.
One Destruction Derby at the fair was plenty until several years ago. That's when officials stumbled onto the obvious: We're selling out one night. Why not two?
The result is Destruction Derby I, titled Traditional Turmoil, on Monday night. Then comes Destruction Derby II, Metal Mayhem, Tuesday night. The purse is $4,100 and nine trophies both nights.
For the record, Traditional Turmoil sold out in about 20 minutes.
"Tickets went on sale the first Saturday in May. The 2,500 reserved-seat tickets for the first night were gone just like that," fair spokeswoman Pennie Rorex said.
Fear not, crash fans. About 1,200 general admission tickets go on sale at 5 p.m. Monday, but only the most determined -- and the most patient -- will buy them. Rorex says the lines form early in the morning.
"One night of the derby is just not enough," Rorex said.
Metal Mayhem, which is nearly sold out, presents a few changes of pace, such as a females-only powder-puff heat. Another heat is reserved for 1960s and '70s models, presumably for those wishing for the worst between a Pontiac Firebird and a Chevy Camaro.
Here's a twist: A vehicle that somehow survives Monday night can enter the second night if, that is, its hood doesn't resemble an accordion and its roof has not been relocated near the tires.
A brief summary of the rest of the fair's sports fare:
TONIGHT -- The arena welcomes a three-pronged event, beginning with Legends Racing -- scaled-down 1930s and '40s replicas powered by Yamaha motorcycle engines. These machines boast more power than grip, which should guarantee fun racing.
Next are the Monster Trucks -- featuring Fired Up, Time Flys, King Krunch and Obsessed -- in freestyle and wheelie contests.
Later, two nondescript cars from Nebraska morph into nearly 30-feet tall robots named Galactron and Reptar. They engage in a flame-throwing fight between good and evil, but shock value clearly prevails.
WEDNESDAY -- Motorcycle stunt jumpers from the area will entertain with mid-air freestyle tricks. They're the warm-up, however, for the Quad Drags, races down a 200-foot track with the winners advancing to the next round.
THURSDAY -- The California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association (CCPRA) will hold its annual fair rodeo. Many cowboys from the area will compete in bull riding, bareback, saddle bronc, team roping, breakaway roping, steer wrestling tie-down roping and barrel racing.
FRIDAY -- QuadCross will bring together at least 150 riders broken down into more than 10 classes and sizes from 50 to 300 cubic centimeters. The quadcross later will make room for the Pee Wee Bikes for ages 10 or younger racing on 50cc motorcycle.
SATURDAY -- Motocross fans will enjoy the nearly 300 daring competitors in races coordinated by AMP Racing Turlock. Twenty classes, based on age, bike size and ability, will battle for five laps on a track filled with bumps, turns, jumps and a rhythm section (a series of small jumps).
AUG. 9 -- Prepare to get down and dirty in the Mud Bog on the fair's final night. Mud boggers line up side by side and plow their vehicles into a mud pit 30 feet wide, two feet deep and 100 feet long. Riders who make the biggest splash and drive the fastest and the longest win.
RSS
E-Mail
Print
reprint or license
