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Post by ladychaos on Mar 29, 2023 0:56:12 GMT -5
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… Is that nerve damage permanent, or is your body able to recover over time? It's cool that people can settle their rivalries on the track and still be friendly enough after. Ok, so that's another thing I've been wondering about. I read that drinking is not allowed in the pits, but then the derby promoters tell the drivers that there's a beer garden near the arena. So is drinking and derbying a fairly common thing? Or is it more you have a few beers over the course of a day and you're still fine to drive?
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Post by ladychaos on Mar 29, 2023 1:01:20 GMT -5
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. Wow, 55 years across 3 generations. That's wild! The sense I get is that derby is a family lifestyle. Something a lot of people are born into as a pastime. When you bring your kids to a derby, do they help out in the pit? Or are they off doing their own thing at the fair? How do you think you would handle it if one of your kids wasn't interested in derby driving? Or at least was on the fence? On the one hand, I think that'd be hard for me. Here's this family passion that's been passed down through the generations that I want to share with them, but they want to go in a different direction. On the other hand, if they can't wait to drive their own car in a derby, I'd be scared they'd get hurt. Kind of feels like either way it's hard as a parent.
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Post by C4 on Mar 29, 2023 1:57:25 GMT -5
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? On the contrary. There are geographical pockets where they're not getting any traction, but for the most part, ultra stock classes (spork fights) are taking off like wildfire. They are a great option that create a pretty level playing field for people who lack time, money, experience, or even just the desire or motivation to put in time/money. Different areas call these classes by different names. In my area, it's called "90's & Newer". Requirements for the cars in that class here are that they be 1985 or newer, unibody, or unibody with subframe with 6 or less cylinders. These cars are allowed very little in the way of modification and have minimal safety requirements. A person with just a little mechanical inclination and zero derby experience and a few hundred bucks can be on the track with less than 40 hours of total work. In my area, it's not uncommon for the car count in this class to exceed all the other classes combined. You can count on getting 1, occasionally 2 derbies out of a car in this class. The step above that here is called Full Size Bone Stock, for which an older or full frame car can be used. There are more safety requirements and more modifications allowed in this class, but it's still a class that can have someone with a little experience on the track in a very competitive car for the class with 60-80 hours of work and well under 5 grand, and that price tag will come with a lot of reusable goodies that will make the next car a lot cheaper. Classes go up from there, with each step up having cars that have more time & money in them. There truly is an entry level, and sky truly is the limit. If you want to turn 30 grand into 30 bucks, build a derby car.
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owen11x
Feature Winner
Ford makes it, Chevy shakes it, Mopar breaks it!
Posts: 2,585
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Post by owen11x on Mar 30, 2023 16:04:44 GMT -5
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. Wow, 55 years across 3 generations. That's wild! The sense I get is that derby is a family lifestyle. Something a lot of people are born into as a pastime. When you bring your kids to a derby, do they help out in the pit? Or are they off doing their own thing at the fair? How do you think you would handle it if one of your kids wasn't interested in derby driving? Or at least was on the fence? On the one hand, I think that'd be hard for me. Here's this family passion that's been passed down through the generations that I want to share with them, but they want to go in a different direction. On the other hand, if they can't wait to drive their own car in a derby, I'd be scared they'd get hurt. Kind of feels like either way it's hard as a parent. My kids help in the shop. They enjoy stripping the cars interior and taking wheels on and off. As far as derby day I respect my wife and family time enough that we spend time at the fair for majority of the time all together but when it's time to get in the mental headspace of running then i go once over the car and hang out in the pits and relax. I never leave the car when it's in the pits and if I do. Someone from my group stays with the car. And as far as the kids not showing interest. it would be cool for them to grow into it when old enough to run real cars but I'll never force them or beg them to. Finances before everything if they are financially able to without struggling else where then by all means start building but I will not touch a car unless I have the funds to build and buy competitive cars and parts. If you arent building a car that can win, you're waisting your time and money. Its fun and it's a blast. But I build to win and that's, that. dont mean yo sound cocky because I'm not. At all. I just dont build half assed stuff that I'm throwing money away in. So its up to them entirely. I wont ever be mad. This sport is alot of sacrifices in alot of areas to be able to afford it. Especially with 3 young kids like I have. Family and finances come first.
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Post by smashbob12 on Mar 30, 2023 16:18:21 GMT -5
2015 Compact feature prob 1 min after it started some how I managed to shatter my left kneecap , knew I hit my knee but didn't know actually how bad other than couldn't move my leg . Won my feature got a nice trophy & tee shirt and a $300 check. My first ambulance ride and surgury my own wheelchair and crutches for 2mo a $35,000 medical bill total and 4mo vacation from work with short term disability and 60% of my normal pay and a F@#ked knee for the rest of my life . I ran 3 times the following summer
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Post by amkear613 on Apr 1, 2023 12:59:07 GMT -5
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. You can fix the line if it’s caught in time. Small cuts under pressure and movement can burst. We are definitely a community but it’s not all fun and games. Guys at a derby that have invested time and $ into cars are fierce competitors. And derbies are cutthroat by design. Last one wins. Tempers flare, fists can fly. It happens. Existential threat to derbies in my opinion is cost. Everything is up. Personally this year I’m canceling my derby and possibly season as there are unknowns in my job right now and as others have said before, family and finances first. I remind myself it’s more of a hobby personally. I applaud guys and gals who build and compete year round. I suggest you go to a derby yourself and buy a pit pass. Especially to a derby that is a multi day derby with heats. You can walk through pits, see vendors with specific parts, and more importantly see competitors from all over if it’s a big show.
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Post by C4 on Apr 1, 2023 23:29:39 GMT -5
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. Wow, 55 years across 3 generations. That's wild! The sense I get is that derby is a family lifestyle. Something a lot of people are born into as a pastime. When you bring your kids to a derby, do they help out in the pit? Or are they off doing their own thing at the fair? How do you think you would handle it if one of your kids wasn't interested in derby driving? Or at least was on the fence? On the one hand, I think that'd be hard for me. Here's this family passion that's been passed down through the generations that I want to share with them, but they want to go in a different direction. On the other hand, if they can't wait to drive their own car in a derby, I'd be scared they'd get hurt. Kind of feels like either way it's hard as a parent. There are many people who get in & get out, but for a lot of us, it is indeed a multi generation lifestyle. My kids were helping when they were big enough to hold a wrench. Nowadays, my boy has earned a name as big as mine ever was. They can get hurt and sometimes they do. On the other side of that coin, they are adults making their own decisions. Son was 14 first time he climbed in a derby car. Daughter was 16. It was their choice then, as it is now. I was playing around with drag cars & circle burners when I kind of fell into derby; I was 25 when I first climbed into one. I don't want you specific location, but if you share what state you're in, maybe one of us can point you to one of the bigger shows mentioned above, along with a couple of good county fair type shows.
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Post by CHUNKY MONKEY 13 on May 24, 2023 3:35:51 GMT -5
%99 of my derby related injuries are moments of pure dumb a$$ery in the shop building it😆
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Post by Heavy Mettle on May 31, 2023 7:31:24 GMT -5
I'd have to say that most here would consider their car getting destroyed to the point where you couldn't re-use anything is considered more of a win than a "bad thing" - hence, the name demolition derby. What sucks is when you have a car that gets ran over and over again because something minor keeps taking you out early on in the night.
Speaking for myself, and I'm sure a large number here would agree, the thing that took me out of competing was life in general. A bad farming accident at 30 years old that left my right leg/ankle broken for nearly two years slowed me down to about one car every 3 years. Then, having 3 kids in the following 5-9 years pretty much brought it to a halt.
I always said I'd quit running when I was 40 before it could start taking a worse toll on my body, but I'm 42 now, still have more cars and parts than ever, and plan on someday getting behind the wheel again. I say I don't have time, but I know I could find the time if I looked hard enough. It's really about choices, priorities, and what feels important to you personally. At this point in time though, when I get the equipment put away at night, instead of burning rod until midnight, I choose to go home and spend time with my wife and kids. There WILL be another car and another derby to go to some day. However, I don't know if I'll be what I deem "too old" to run, regardless, I'll have that choice. What I DO KNOW is that my 3 children will never be the age they are now again, and for me, spending as much time as possible with them is my priority for now.
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tude8
Future Icon
Posts: 101
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Post by tude8 on Jul 18, 2023 22:33:01 GMT -5
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. 2008 I broke my left wrist (spiral fracture) 2009 had a daughter. 2010 got custody of my daughter (had to really clean my act up going through the custody situation since she was a crack ho) 2018 my dumb azz got married. 2020 divorced. outside that lack of help, money, time.
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