NORTH BATTLEFORD — The Battlefords Agricultural Society held the 40th Annual Demolition Derby on Aug. 23, with more than 35 cars entering the ring.
With packed stands, organizers said they were impressed to see such a great turnout for the afternoon, which brought sunshine, heat and more than 1,400 spectators.
The day started with three heats of nine full-sized cars. While there were a few moments when members of the North Battleford Fire Department had to ensure the safety of the drivers, the day did not involve any major injuries. As the full-sized cars took massive beatings, fans were oohing and ahhing as drivers took turns revving engines.
The top two cars from each heat then came back into the ring for the semifinals. One by one, cars began to get stuck or experience mechanical failure, resulting in elimination. At the end of the heat, Darren Poitras Sr. took home first place, followed by Hunter Schrader in second and Joey Peters in third. Tyson Ilnicki won Most Aggressive, and Derek Olson won Best Dressed in the full-size races.
There were three other demolition categories: Chain and Bang, Minis and Powderpuff, with four cars competing in each. The Powderpuff race is exclusively for women drivers, where Zoie Sherstobetopp won first place. Brandon Kalyn was the winner of the Chain and Bang, while Russell Fauth claimed the Minis title. Fauth was also the Most Aggressive driver in Minis, with Willie Kress taking home Best Dressed in the category.
