Demo drivers ready for destruction
COEUR d'ALENE - It's the eve of destruction, the day before the Demolition Derby at the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo.
The automotive smashing and crashing takes place Sunday at 6 p.m. in the fair's Main Arena.
"It's always a crowd pleaser," said John Goedde, the derby's event coordinator for more than 20 years. "I think in the back of everyone's mind, they'd like to crash a car into somebody else, and they like to see that happen."
The derby, a popular fair attraction since 1983, is also a fundraiser for Kootenai Charities, Goedde said. The local nonprofit sponsors two $500 scholarships to North Idaho College each year, contributes to Press Christmas for All and donates to area food banks.
It's not too late to register a car for the derby, if you have an old, American-made hard-top passenger car or station wagon with nothing inside - no headliner, no door panels - nothing except a front seat. There are some other rules that make getting a car ready for the derby part of the game.
Registration takes place Sunday at the fairgrounds from 2 to 5 p.m. The $70 registration fee covers one car, one driver, and one pit person. Extra pit people can be registered for $8 per person.
When it's derby go time, the car doors will be chained shut, and the helmeted drivers will ram each other repeatedly, intent on putting their opponents' vehicles out of commission.
The winner is the last car running, the vehicle that made the last contact and can move at least 12 inches in any direction.
Last year's winner was Stan Pope, of Hayden. It was a good year for Pope, he also won the derby at the fair in Spokane.
"I've had some good luck," said Pope.
Pope, who favors Ford vehicles, ran a 1975 Lincoln-turned-derby-car to last year's victories.
He'll be using another '75 Lincoln at the North Idaho Fair on Sunday, and hopes he'll get No. 28 when he registers.
His birthday is Aug. 28, which also happens to be the date of the first derby he was in, 16 years ago.
Why does he do it?
"I tell people, it's everything they tell you your whole life that you can't do in a car, and it's legal to do," Pope said. "It's a pretty big adrenaline rush."
His buddy, Kevin Corbin, another longtime derby participant, will be there with Pope.
Corbin, who has been doing demo derbies since 1982, isn't running a car at the North Idaho Fair this year.
"It's quite a group of guys that do this. We all help each other out," Corbin said. "It's fun to go out to the big crowds and be able to put on a show."