What's the worst that can happen?

[ladychaos]

I'm a writer working on a story about a woman who competes in demolition derbies. I've been to a derby once, and I've been watching them online. But I don't know much about the life of a derby driver.

One thing I'm curious about is what's the worst thing that can happen to you as a derby driver? Get injured in a derby? Car get destroyed so you couldn't reuse anything? Something in life that stopped you from being able to drive anymore? Family illness? Personal setback?

If you've encountered any of these challenges, I'd love to hear how you wrestled with it or overcame it. Thanks.

[STROMI 121]

I have had a few injuries over the years. Nothing permanent. And gender likely would have made absolutely no difference. If you get hurt in a derby it it’s typically from safety not being first and foremost. I run a neck brace, a good helmet, and shin guards. They are retired baseball catchers guards. Id imagine motorcross stuff would work too. Gotta make that your seat belts are good. I typically run four point harnesses when I can. And after braking my hand after a shit ton of derbys I finally recommend duct tape over the steering wheel. Proper padding in the car is extremely important. Never underestimate the power of an old seat cushion, a pool noodle, and or some duct tape and zip ties can provide

[Landshark007]

I think most of my injuries is from building the car and working on it in the pits. Have had a few in the car to I’m going on 56 and still walking doctor said 20 years ago 1 more derby and I won’t walk again.

[C4]

My personal problems are just that...personal. I'll talk injuries though. Between those 2 guys and me, I'm the baby...be 50 this year. 24 consecutive seasons, 103 derbies (yes, I keep a journal). Full size cars, mini trucks and mostly modified compact cars.

Only 1 serious injury from building. 2.7 sq. ft. of 2nd & 3rd degree burn...right arm, torso, neck & face. That came with a whole 4 square inches of 4th degree near the armpit...that one killed a little meat. That was several weeks of work at the burn trauma center, and quite probably my single most physically painful experience in life. Every other building incident has been stuff my wife could clean up and/or stitch up.

Driving, I had to break both thumbs to learn to not wrap them around the steering wheel. Couple of ribs, left hip and a few rounds of whiplash.

My boy (14 seasons & 50+ derbies) has managed a bruised spleen, 1 broken elbow and 1 serious concussion.

All my wife experienced on the track was 1 burn to the face & eyes (treat & release).

Daughter has been lucky so far.

[ladychaos]

Thank you for your replies. Those injuries sound pretty tough, especially the burns. 

I have a few more questions if anyone has a thought on them.

1. I read about cut fuel lines in the "cases of sabotage" thread. If that happens, does gas spill all over the interior of your car? Is it a fixable problem, or is your car out of commission? Other than hooking up a new fuel line and cleaning up the gas, how do you fix something like that?

2. I read about people running multiple cars or running the same car in multiple heats. Typically do you go with a mind to compete in as many heats as your car can stand? Or is it more a case of "I'm gonna do this one heat, and we'll take it from there"?

3. From what I've read and from the YouTube videos I've seen, seems like an all-day affair. When you're at the derby and you're not racing, how does the day usually go? Do you hang out by the cars? Catch up with people you know? Go through the fair grounds with your family? Or does everyone kind of do their own thing?

4. Boat Bash: I saw clips of people doing a boat bash demolition derby. I've only seen them on a track or in a paved pit. If you go to a derby with a mud pit, there's no chance a boat bash can happen there, right? Unless there was a track or a paved pit nearby?

Thanks.

[noser23x]

Mar 11, 2023 12:01:05 GMT -5 ladychaos said:

Thank you for your replies. Those injuries sound pretty tough, especially the burns. 

I have a few more questions if anyone has a thought on them.

1. I read about cut fuel lines in the "cases of sabotage" thread. If that happens, does gas spill all over the interior of your car? Is it a fixable problem, or is your car out of commission? Other than hooking up a new fuel line and cleaning up the gas, how do you fix something like that?

2. I read about people running multiple cars or running the same car in multiple heats. Typically do you go with a mind to compete in as many heats as your car can stand? Or is it more a case of "I'm gonna do this one heat, and we'll take it from there"?

3. From what I've read and from the YouTube videos I've seen, seems like an all-day affair. When you're at the derby and you're not racing, how does the day usually go? Do you hang out by the cars? Catch up with people you know? Go through the fair grounds with your family? Or does everyone kind of do their own thing?

4. Boat Bash: I saw clips of people doing a boat bash demolition derby. I've only seen them on a track or in a paved pit. If you go to a derby with a mud pit, there's no chance a boat bash can happen there, right? Unless there was a track or a paved pit nearby?

Thanks.

1.) Cut lines do happen, it can be sabotage or sheet metal can pinch and cut lines as well. Depending where it is cut, it can be on the interior of the car, underneath the car, in the engine bay. Regardless wherever it happens, it's always bad news. That is something that needs to be fixed with a new line.

2.) It depends on the driver. Some like to try to drive strategic, some like to try and make a show for the crowd and that comes at the sacrifice of the car typically. Whatever your strategy is though, it has every opprotunity to go out the window in about 10 seconds.

3.) Some guys show up at the last minute, some guys show up as soon as it opens. I stopped leaving the vehicle to go see the fair without 1 person staying, have had way to many things be vandalized, it's the unfortunate part of the sport. I like arriving early, and getting to just relax a day with all my friends. You also have to go through tech inspection, which may take up to an hour or more to get through the line.

4.) I'm sure it could although it may be more anticlimactic.

[ladychaos]

When a cut line happens, does fuel get all over the floor of the car? Does it ruin the seat? Can you still compete? I imagine with all the money people put into their cars, it's pretty infuriating when something like that happens.

That makes sense. Sounds like it's good to be flexible with how you approach each heat. Is there a particular strategy that tends to work better than others? Or does it really depend on the mix of drivers and the cars and how the heat unfolds?

Sorry to hear that it's gotten to a point where people need to hang by their cars all day. I get that people are competitive and want an edge, but playing in the gray area of the rules is different that ruining someone else's ride. When you have had stuff vandalized, do you try to fix it? Report it? Find out who did it so you can take revenge? All/none of the above?

On the plus side it sounds like there's plenty of time to visit with friends while waiting for your heat. Seems like there's a real sense of community there.

[doba3sum]

ladychaos I sent you a PM

[Heavy Mettle]

In a derby? I'd probably have to say dying..... Life in general? Dying without knowing Jesus Christ as your savior.....

[amkear613]

Mar 11, 2023 23:41:56 GMT -5 ladychaos said:

When a cut line happens, does fuel get all over the floor of the car? Does it ruin the seat? Can you still compete? I imagine with all the money people put into their cars, it's pretty infuriating when something like that happens.

That makes sense. Sounds like it's good to be flexible with how you approach each heat. Is there a particular strategy that tends to work better than others? Or does it really depend on the mix of drivers and the cars and how the heat unfolds?

Sorry to hear that it's gotten to a point where people need to hang by their cars all day. I get that people are competitive and want an edge, but playing in the gray area of the rules is different that ruining someone else's ride. When you have had stuff vandalized, do you try to fix it? Report it? Find out who did it so you can take revenge? All/none of the above?

On the plus side it sounds like there's plenty of time to visit with friends while waiting for your heat. Seems like there's a real sense of community there.

As said before it depends on where line is cut. If inside the car yes fuel will dump onto floorboards etc. in the Midwest most rules I’ve seen require a metal tank with lines ran in car. Usually along floorboards or center cage bar if you have one through firewall.

As far as heats go many drivers will “go with the pace” if it’s a “slow” pace and people are “sandbagging or bagging” then they will too. If there are multiple drivers hitting hard or turning it up they will as well. and as said before some put on a show and others drive to win or “money driving”

Someone vandalizing another ride is the lowest form of people in the sport. Some people vandalizing aren’t even driving in said event. Heck could be our wives trying to collect that life insurance lol. I think anyone that’s put the time and $ into the cars we have would like to know who’s done stuff. It’s common to have $10,000+ engines in full-size cars are these big shows. I’ve got well over $1300 in my fuel setup alone.

As far as community. I can’t go to a derby and not bs around with 5+ people. I’ll never forget being on the track at a big show waiting for cars to be hauled off and two other competitors were discussing fishing in Minnesota. We were in Illinois. This is after we bashed our cars into one another.

[ladychaos]

Thanks for that information, amkear613.

If a fuel line is cut, can it be fixed on the day if the driver can get another line? Or does it mean the driver can't compete?

It sucks that thinks like that happen keep happening, especially with that kind of time and money involved.

But the community aspect is cool. Two people talking about fishing in another state. Sounds like the competition is more friendly and fun than serious. Is that kind of the vibe at derbies? Everyone having a good time?

Aside from vandalism, is there ever any drama that happens at these things?

When I originally asked what's the worst thing that can happen, I don't think I honed in on the thing I'm really wondering about.

Is there something that is sort of a existential threat to derby drivers and to demolition derbies?

I read an article about how old-style derbies are dying because you have rich people pouring money into custom-built cars. That makes it harder for regular people to compete. The article also said that the up and coming generation has a different work ethic than the previous one. Working on cars for months and months doesn't hold the same appeal as it once did. Also there are fewer drivers competing, so some derbies can't keep themselves going year to year. And as far as drivers go, time and age wear on the body. It might take longer to heal from some derbies. Instead of doing 5 a year, a driver might end up doing one a year.

Does that sound about right for the challenges that derby drivers face? Or is there something that's missing from all that?

Thanks.

[C4]

For the record, though perhaps not always on the same day at the same show, there are separate classes available for low budget & high budget cars. Right here on my property, we have compact cars that are barely worth more than scrap and a class available to run against similarly built cars. On the other side of that coin, we also have compact cars that are worth more than most daily drivers, which likewise run against similarly built cars. There are places & classes for both, and often a separate mid-level class in between. If you take a car that has $500 and a weekend of time in it and run it in a class full of $40k cars with 200 hours of just weld time in each one, then you assume the risk that goes along with that decision, and therefore in my humble opinion, you forfeit the right to write a whiny hit piece because you brought a spork to a tank fight. I am by no means poking fun at the lesser classes. They are great for beginners and for people who work 80 hours a week. I'm just saying if a spork is what your money or time budget allows, then take it to a spork fight. There are plenty to be had.

[Underbuilt]

As far as injuries I’ve been knocked unconscious a few times and had some nerve damage from knees and elbows hitting the cage. Drama wise it greatly depends on the show and payouts in my opinion. Most people are all in it for the same reason to have fun and get out and shake hands after. There’s some pretty heated rivalries that are settled on the track, but rarely affect off track activities. But things tend to get heated when 10k payouts are settled with 10k cars and passion, pride and alcohol are mixed…

[owen11x]

I could write a book on just my family alone 50+ years combined of derbying. From sabotage to drama to friendship. It has been a crazy ride. Way to much to type out though that's for sure!! I believe we are into our 55th year as a family on the 3rd generation. Not sure we will make it fully to a 4th generation but my kids definitely love it and both my sons are.involved in the power wheels derbies and coloring pictures of derby cars non stop. It's not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle for sure.

[ladychaos]

Mar 25, 2023 0:35:47 GMT -5 C4 said:

For the record, though perhaps not always on the same day at the same show, there are separate classes available for low budget & high budget cars. Right here on my property, we have compact cars that are barely worth more than scrap and a class available to run against similarly built cars. On the other side of that coin, we also have compact cars that are worth more than most daily drivers, which likewise run against similarly built cars. There are places & classes for both, and often a separate mid-level class in between. If you take a car that has $500 and a weekend of time in it and run it in a class full of $40k cars with 200 hours of just weld time in each one, then you assume the risk that goes along with that decision, and therefore in my humble opinion, you forfeit the right to write a whiny hit piece because you brought a spork to a tank fight. I am by no means poking fun at the lesser classes. They are great for beginners and for people who work 80 hours a week. I'm just saying if a spork is what your money or time budget allows, then take it to a spork fight. There are plenty to be had.

I hear what you're saying. Would you say that in your experience it doesn't seem like spork-fight demo derbies are going anywhere?