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Demo Derby helps boosts Fair’s coffers

Staff photo by Connor Cummiskey Drivers pounded into each other Saturday during the Fall Pumpkin Smash Demo Derby. The October-themed derby came complete with a pumpkin that could be smashed for an extra $50. See more photos on page 8A, and on cu.nujournal.com

NEW ULM — The Brown County Fair Board hosted an off-season demolition derby Saturday to make up for low numbers during the fair.

In the Fall Pumpkin Smash Demo 85 cars competed in seven categories. Turnout was larger than even the fair’s demo.

“We have had derbies before, off-season, this is the first one we have had in a very long time,” Fair Board Member Nicole Rustman said.

In addition to earning first place, each heat had a pumpkin placed in the ring and the first driver to smash it earned $50.

Trophies for who drove the furthest to get here and for who hit the hardest were given out as well.

Last summer the normal demolition derby had to be moved from Wednesday to Sunday due to rain, which dropped numbers, Rustman said.

This off-season demo helped make that up. It helped that during the pumpkin smash there were not any other derbies to compete with, Rustman said.

Derbies in the off-season can be difficult to put together because it requires better advertising and the cold can drive people away.

This derby had a required 40-car preregistration before it would go ahead. A requirement that was not hard to meet.

Off-season derbies have increased in popularity recently, Rustman said. She attributed it to the increased cost of cars and drivers wanting to use them instead of letting them sit.

“A lot of guys still had some cars left so a lot of guys, instead of keeping it in the grove or the shed for one more run, (wanted to) come and run it and then take it to the scrap yard,” Rustman said.

ccummiskey@nujournal.com

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