Sunday’s Demolition Derby, held at the Orleans County Fair Grounds, brought out a packed crowd to watch the ultimate motor vehicle crash. (Photo by Christopher Roy)

By CHRISTOPHER ROY
News Reporter
BARTON – They were once shiny and new, just waiting for someone to shell out big bucks to drive them away. After Sunday’s annual demolition derby, held at the Orleans County Fair Grounds, the 92 or so cars were crumbled pieces of junk that were ready to take their final journey – the automobile graveyard.
Some of the cars met their fate early on while others went to the finals. The ones who made it to the finals had a smashing good time and even a few held up long enough for their drivers to walk away with trophies and prizes during the main event.
One the drivers to make it to the finals was Brad Glodgett of Brownington, who has taken part in the derby for seven years. However, this was the first time he ever qualified for the finals. He said he does not have any success secrets, he was just hoping to make some hard hits and survive to the end of the derby.
“There wasn’t much of a game plan,” he said, noting he got his car Saturday evening, just hours before the big event. “It was a rush job.”
Dustin Beauregard of Barton, who won third place at last year’s derby, also made it to the finals.
“Today was a little rougher,” he said of the preliminary heats.  His plan heading into the derby was to save the nose and have fun.
Beauregard and the 90 some other racers were not the only ones having fun. The fans who packed the grandstand and a few dozen more who watched from the sidelines were just as excited as the drivers, and no one seemed to mind the downpour and flying globs of mud.
Dick Gherrien, who runs the derby, said an event like this is the highlight of any fair.  
“The motor heads come out and enjoy this,” he said. “They like to see the smashing and crashing. They like to see the hard hits, and we’ve seen plenty of hard hits this afternoon.”
Some cars landed on top of each other, not once but twice, during the first heat.
Gherrien called the men and women who take part in the derby thrill seekers who like to have fun. The finals were still underway as of press time.