Saturday September 12, 2009
Demolition derby is a motor-sport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. They originated in North America and quickly spread to other western nations.
While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of 10 or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another. The last driver whose vehicle is still operational is awarded the victory.
Demolition derbies can be very dangerous. Although serious injuries are rare, occasionally they do happen. To make the event safer, all glass is removed from the vehicle, and deliberately ramming the driver’s-side door area is usually forbidden. The driver’s door is often required to be painted white, with black numbers, or with contrasting colors, for visibility. Most demolition derbies are held on dirt tracks, or in open fields, that are usually soaked with water. This causes the competition area to become muddy, which in turn helps to further slow the vehicles. Some drivers use both the front, and rear, of the vehicle to ram the other competitors. Others tend to use only the rear end of the vehicle, to help protect the engine compartment from damage.