SATURDAY DEMO DERBY
A record entry of more than 108 cars entered the Demolition Derby on Saturday, August 17, 2019, topping last year’s entry of 103, during the 149th Annual Whiteside County Fair. It was a mixed blessing. The popular event was to begin at 6:30 p.m., but it did not. At 7:15 the children’s Power Wheels class began.
Large numbers included late registrations, some missed the Drivers’ Meeting before the race. Often cars were late arrivng on the track, delaying the action; a few times the heat was started without them. Numerous drivers disregarded red flag warnings to stop moving–due to emergencies–or black flag warnings to snap off their stick and cease action. An individual got out of his car to explain/argue why he did not stop. He lost that argument with event promoter Rob Mahansmith. One driver broke his foot. One left his car under medical help, due to back pain. One displayed a bloody, mashed thumb. The Demo Derby outlasted fans, concluding at about 11:15.
OPEN WELD
1. Ron Dykeman; 2. Jess Dykeman; 3. Mitch Miesta
Extreme Driver: Mitch Miesta
COMPACT WELD
1. Drew Daniels; 2. Austin Cover; 3. Tanner Hall
Extreme Driver: Austin Cover
OPEN WIRE
1. Brad Bielema; 2. Keith Wiersman; 3. Clint Shephard
Extreme Driver: Keith Wiersman
COMPACT WIRE
1. Tommy Fortune, Jr.; 2. Brian Muntein; 3. Dakotah Carber
Extreme Driver: Brian Muntein
MINI VANS
1. Brad Call; 2. Tim Wright; 3. Cody Scott
Extreme Driver: Brad Call
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.)
It all led to a late Demo start of about 45 minutes.
EMT’s wrapped one driver’s wrist, which may have been broken in the action.
SATURDAY DEMO DERBY
Results of the Demolition Derby on Saturday, August 17, 2019, follow.
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.