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Fuel tank in the back seat? Check.
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Spectators gather at the edge of the pit to watch as drivers in the first heat of the Applefest Demolition Derby slam into ech other Saturday at the Gopher State Sporstman's Club in La Crescent.
PETER THOMSON photo |
Battery on the passenger seat? Check.
The charcoal gray 1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic was positioned for a beating in the 80-foot-by-60-foot mud pit.
And a pummeling it took.
Its trunk was flattened into the backseat and doors severely dented after 10 minutes in the first heat of Saturday’s La Crescent Applefest Demolition Derby.
“It lost about four-feet in length,” said Butch Heintz, father of the Chevy’s driver, Kevin.
About 30 drivers competed in the derby at Gopher State Sportsmen’s Club. For hours, they shifted between drive and reverse searching for the next perfect hit and competitor to eliminate. Metal crunched, radiators blew and mud flew.
“You just want to get in there and be the last guy standing,” said derby chairman Chris Lorenz.
Top finishers of the truck, full-size and compact car divisions won a cash prize. But the competition isn’t only about winning.
“You always get a rush. I know he’s on a cloud right now,” Heintz, 53, of La Crescent, said from the sidelines. “That’s what it’s about — the adrenaline rush. It’s certainly not for the money.”
It’s also a way to get rid of road rage. Plus, smashing cars is fun, Lorenz said.
“Nowadays you can’t get out and abuse vehicles without a traffic violation. This is a chance to do that,” said Paul Langen, whose 19-year-old son competed in “The Beast” — a four-door red Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme purchased last month for $100.
There’s also a strategy involved, Lorenz said: Attack the tires, frame and motor. Slather grease on the tires to prevent them from popping off the rim.
“And don’t get hit a lot — and use your back end,” Heintz said.
But watch what you’re doing: A hit to a driver’s-side door is an automatic disqualification.
Drivers scour the area searching for the right car, which must pass a thorough inspection before competing. The “die-hards” rebuild the vehicles for the next derby, Lorenz said.
The Heintz car, which cost the family nothing, was never intended to compete again.
“Two weeks of work on it for 10 minutes of fun,” Heintz said. “And to think, we’ll get $150 bucks when it’s done. That’s a beautiful thing.”
In the end, Kevin, 27, lost the heat that included 11 full-size competitors. His Chevy overheated. Last year, he placed first in the mid-size division.
“I lost,” he said, dripping in sweat, “but there’s always next year.”
The crowd watched the derby perched on a hill. Spectators, too, Lorenz said, “just like to watch people smash cars.”
Mary Mitchell, of New Albion, Iowa, came to watch her husband, Michael, compete. Like others, he enjoys two things about the competition, she said: “The challenge — and to wreck stuff.”
Anne Jungen can be reached at (608) 791-8224 or ajungen@lacrossetribune.com.
