The expected 6:30 p.m. Demolition Derby on Saturday, August 20, 2016, drew a huge crowd–as always–to the Morrison, IL, grandstand. This year, the Whiteside County Fair was the new promoter; Rob Mahnesmith of Chillicothe, IL, was the new event organizer. Casey Lipe recorded lineups, awarded checks, and organized details of the event. The announcer promised “plenty of hard action tonight.” Nate Oines, from perennial sound controller Rak Productions, handled the communications system. Alex Fischbach, Morrison, ably sang our National anthem to begin the show; it would conclude at 10:35.
The Fair Board paid $8500 in premiums; winners of the first five placings received trophies and money. Each class awarded a Mad Dog trophy, loosely based on crowed response. On the track were 71 male and female competitors in six classes The Compact class was split into two heats of Heavy (22 competitors) and Light (13 competitors.)
Because of afternoon rain, the 1:00 p.m. Harness Racing had a late start. Victory laps were deleted to speed the event. After the races, track grooming was hurried, but late registrations added to the delay. Keith and Kurt Stralow, Morrison Blacktop and Excavating, handled heavy lifting of about 88 concrete blocks, many of which were purchased this year. Keith positioned the majority of them, with 40 on the east and west sides of a rectangle, sealed at the north. He stated each block was “about six feet long and weighed 8000 pounds.” Kurt finished the arrangement as his brother “used the ‘dozer to prepare the track.” Board member John Mosher is shown as Kurt Stralow positions one of the last blocks. Jacob Vegter, MHS Senor, helped.
His father, Board member Rob Vegter, said the new track design was moved 15 feet west of the grandstand for safety and, to allow fire truck access, 15 feet closer to the announcer’s tower. “We took out the guard rail in front of the grandstand and bought new concrete blocks from Quality Ready Mix [of Morrison]. We roped off the area for pit pass holders,” too. For Friday’s Tractor and Truck Pull, he added, “We also put [yellow] caution tape to channel walkers to the [temporary] stands west of the track.” Whiteside County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrolman Tim Warkins stressed the importance and safety of this simple improvement. He worries about people who carelessly walk across the track while vehicles and equipment are engaged.
It all led to a late Demo start of about 45 minutes. Lipe asked the announcer to play music while the crowd waited. He chose Country songs, which were broadcast through the sound system from his smartphone’s playlist. He encouraged people to use the wait time to purchase 50/50 raffle tickets at the Secretary’s Office, before the evening’s drawing. This was the first raffle held by the Whiteside County Fair and was in combination with Morrison Athletic Boosters.
Fair Board President Paul Vock said, “We were hoping to get 600 or 700 bucks,” in this first fundraiser. The drawing netted $2436. Eugene Richter of Fulton, IL, took home $1218. So, Vock’s goal–after another 50/50 split with the Boosters–met the $600 goal. Board member Brad Noble noted the money would be used for “Fairground improvements.”
Next, Lipe asked him to call the all-important five Bobcat/skid loader and five wrecker drivers to take the center of the track. Traditionally, they are acknowledged for prompt, expert release and removal of cars or debris and for grooming the track between and after heats. Morrison Fire Department, Morrison Community Hospital EMS, and Whiteside Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol were acknowledged. EMT’s wrapped one driver’s wrist, which may have been broken in the action.
Firefighters left-to-right included Tony Belha, Brandon Sharp, Nate Decker, Mark Cox; Brian Tichler, Arlyn Tichler, Dave Brandon, John Heusinkveld, Jamie White, and Joe Bielema.
These class sponsors were recognized:
- Whiteside County Fair–Truck Class
- CP Demolition of Sterling, IL–Heavy Weld/Pro Mod Class and the Mad Dog trophies
- Boss Roofing, Sterling–Fair Class/Weld
- Slim-n-Hank’s Auto Body Shop, Sterling–Heavy and Light Compact Classes
- Morrison Auto Supply–Wire Class.
16-28 / SATURDAY DEMO DERBY
Results of the Demolition Derby on Saturday, August 20, 2016, follow. All towns are in Illinois.
Trucks–4
1. Chris Cadie, Chana; 2. Chris Senn, Amboy; 3. Henry Payer, Dixon; 4. Lucas Lage, Gibson City
Chris Cadie, left, won the Truck Class, and every entry went home with hardware and a check. Rob Mahnesmith, center, communicates with Lipe via walkie-talkie. The crew-man-with-flag is unidentified.
Heavy Weld/Pro Mod–3
1. Ron Dykema, Morrison; 2. Nate Brinkmeier, Morrison; 3. Steven Kuehl, Morrison
Ron Dykema, top, took the win in the Heavy Weld/Pro Mod class. Second place winner Nathan Brinkmeier, below, admitted being nervous in his first derby race. The crowd did not sense that; they voted him the Mad Dog trophy.
Fair Class/Weld–8
1. Brad Bielema, Morrison; 2. Jason Vander Eide, Fulton; 3. Brock Boss, Rock Falls; 4. Travis Tomman, Sterling; 5. Jake Benters, Morrison
Brad Bielema took first place in the Fair Class/Weld.
Heavy Compact–22
1. Jamie Bertolozzi, Rock Falls; 2. John Wright, Lyndon; 3. Kodi Cade, Bradford; 4. Bobby Bertolozzi, Rock Falls; 5. Luke Furr, Rock Falls
Jamie Bielema took the trophy for Heavy Compacts.
Light Compact–13
1. Shayleigh Smith, Sterling; 2. Jordan Henderson, Morrison; 3. Brian Witt, Cambridge; 4. Matt Archer, Granville; 5. Brenton Muntean, Rock Falls
Shayleigh Smith carried home the Light Compact trophy.
Wire Class–21
1. Jeremy Bielema, Morrison; 2. Ryan Wiersema, Morrison; 3. Chris Judd, Rock Falls; 4. Clint Shepard, Morrison; 5. C. J. Ravel, Rock Falls
Jeremy Bielema, center, won the Wire Class. He is shown holding his trophy with his brother, Brad, left, and father Joe. There was an aura of adrenaline throughout much of the heat. Driver Chris Shores found his car somersaulting at the north end of the track. He leaped out, unhurt, and asked to have his car flipped onto its wheels. The announcer said Shores had “to get the mud out of the headers.” A skid loader reinstated the vehicle, and Shores continued the heat. Twice the race was stopped by Mahnesmith to remove cars that were dumping fuel from their “wounds.” An axle pierced the floor and punctured the fuel tank of Jake Benters‘s car. A skid loader efficiently scraped up the dangerous dirt, dumped it outside the block enclosure, and filled the hole where the fuel had been with “clean” dirt.
