Demolition Derby celebrates 40th anniversary at WSF

On Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Ford Grandstand, the Douglas Volunteer Fire Department (DVFD) will host the 40th Annual Wyoming State Fair (WSF) Demolition Derby, which is a highlight of the fair.

“We have a very large fan base supporting the derby. They enjoy the show, they love coming back, and it’s usually the talk of the fair,” DVFD Lieutenant Patrick Evans says.

Following a precedent set over the years, it is expected the arena will fill quickly, so it is advised the audience arrive well in advance.

This year, the derby will consist of four car classes – limited weld, chain up, cage and one-half car, which each have slightly different rules. There will also be various cash prizes given out, including a Best in Show Award given to the best decorated car.

“There’s a Mad Dog Award for both the limited weld and the chain up classes,” Patrick explains. “The Mad Dog Award is given to whoever has the largest number of hard hits –for derby guys, this is a very prestigious award. In fact, a lot of them don’t want first – they want the Mad Dog Award.”

The variety of awards is intended to promote an engaging, exciting and action-packed derby.

In addition to the excitement, it is vitally important participants remain exceedingly vigilant when it comes to safety. Rules and precautions are in place to ensure the derby is a safe, family-friendly event for all involved.

“We research a lot of other demolition derby’s rules too, then we try to tweak ours every year. We have really crunched down on who we allow in the arena during the show. We also have some new safety features we’ve added,” DVFD Assistant Fire Chief Trevor Panasuk notes.

“The last thing we want to do is get anybody hurt or killed – whether it’s a driver, one of our firefighters on the ground or a participant or spectator. We really try to make sure we are prioritizing safety,” he continues.

The derby is not only an amazing opportunity for a unique night of family fun, it is also the department’s largest annual fundraiser.

“It provides money for our burn funds so anytime there’s a structure fire where somebody no longer has a home, or if they lost their clothing, we’ll put them up in a hotel and usually provide them with some money because they don’t have anything,” Patrick shares. “This way they can supply their families some food and some clothes. We also use the money for scholarships and other things as well.”

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