The Pumpkin Smash derby is one of the last derbies held in Minnesota and typically brings out drivers from across southern Minnesota. This years around 130 vehicles in eight separate classes went head to head to be the last vehicle running. The Pumpkin Smash adds extra fall flavor by placing a pumpkin at the center of the arena before each heat. The first driver to hit the pumpkin receives an extra $50.

The first derby of the afternoon was the Compact division, which included 14 vehicles. Denton Strassburg received the $50 for hitting the first pumpkin. KaLicia Strasburg finished third with second going to Gavin Johnson and first going to Robert Engleking of St. James.

Engleking has been competing in demo derbies for the last 35 years and makes a point to attend the Pumpkin Smash.

Though he won the compact derby, he admitted it was a close competition and he felt fortunate to win.

Jaden Frank in his pumpkin themed truck, takes out the gourde at the start of the Gut ‘n Go Truck division of the Pumpkin Smash demo derby.

“It was pretty fair,” he said. “It was a battle to the end.”

The youth division had eight cars compete. Zachary Janke took out the pumpkin first and also finished third. Abby Jo Salmon finished second. Cory Crews, 14, of Austin finished first. Crews said the secret to wining was to keep your vehicle moving.

The ’80s Stock derby featured 17 vehicles. Casey Koop was credited with crushing the gourde. Carson Shoenbauer took third and Kyle Daugherty took second. Jason Wiese finished first and also received the hardest hitter award. Wiese is from Pipestone and has been competing in derbies for over 25 years. He regularly competes in Brown County demo derbies. He said this was one of his strongest performances. After the bout Wiese was able to drive his vehicle out of the arena.

After the heat, Wiese wished to dedicate his win to his friend Justin Lemcke, who recently died of pancreatic cancer.

In the van division, Andy Anderson smashed the pumpkin and took third place. Second place went to Jesse Rasche. For the second year-in-a row, Kyle Bathke of Waseca took first in the van class. He also took the hardest hitter award.

Casey Koop runs over the pumpkin during the ‘80s stock division of the Pumpkin Smash demo derby, earning $50.

Bathke won the van heat relatively quickly, but said it was not easy. There was a lot of tough competition. He said with vans, you want to use the back end of the vehicle, but said he took more front-end damage than anticipated.

In the Gut ‘n Go Truck class Jaden Frank took out the pumpkin first. The McDermott brothers from Sleepy Eye both placed in the top three with Michael McDermott taking third and Anthony McDermott finishing first. Chase Kerkoff finished second.

Just before the derby, Anthony and Michael switched vehicles. It was initially reported Michael had won, but Anthony was driving the #13 vehicle.

Anthony McDermott said this victory was unexpected because he was running a different type of truck then normal, but it was hard to argue with success.

In the Midsize car division, Kurtis Price was credited as the pumpkin smasher, thought it cost him the heat. After smashing pumpkin Price’s vehicle immediately collided with another vehicle and was left inoperable. Third went to Juan Cruz Baez, second went to Riley Stoltz and first went to Ethan Schubert of Owatonna. Schubert he had no real strategy for winning in the midsize division, except to “stay out of trouble.”

Robert Engleking stands with his vehicle after winning the compact division of the Pumpkin Smash demo derby. Engleking said it was a narrow victory and he was fairly matched with the other drivers

In the Limited Weld Cars, Dillon Lillejord crushed the pumpkin. T.J. Karels took third, Dominic Brown took second and first went to Casey Koop.

The final derby of the afternoon was the Limited Weld Truck, Chase Kerkhoff took third place, with Noah Wiest in second and Tucker Haala finishing first. Robert Sunberg crushed the final pumpkin of the 2025 derby season.

Anthony McDermott drove the #13 truck to victory in the Gut ‘n Go division during the Pumpkin Smash demo derby. Moments before the derby, Anthony switched vehicles with his brother Michael McDermott who got third in the heat.

Anthony McDermott of Sleepy Eye stands next to the #13 truck he drove in the Gut ‘n Go division. McDermott said he was a little surprised to win. It was the first time he drove this type of truck in the derby.