Vernon Hites, Jr., of Tiffin, drives the No. 04, a 1976 Buick Electra car during the demolition derby at the Wood County Fairgrounds. Hites won the derby in the full-size car category. (Photo by: Scott W. Grau/Sentinel-Tribune)
Allen Swayne, a 2009 Bowling Green High School graduate, got his leg nicked up when another truck slammed into his 1997 three-quarter ton red Chevrolet Suburban called “Mr. Chevy” during the Wood County Fair Demolition Derby.
You should have seen his truck. You should have seen the other eight trucks — by the time all was said and done, tires were hanging by a thread and engines were smoking. Swayne’s Suburban was the only one still running.
It was enough to give the 1,500 fans in attendance something to cheer for and for public address announcer Greg Whitacre, in his 22nd year, something to talk about.
Swayne managed to win the demolition derby’s final feature Wednesday, bringing the trophy home to his sponsor, Findlay Truck & RV.
Swayne has been driving in the Wood County Fair derby since after his final year of high school, and it is the second time in three years he won the truck feature. Two years ago, he won the same competition in a similar red Chevy Suburban.
“It is fun,” Swayne said. “I grew up fearless and I just keep doing it.”
Swayne, who unlike other competitors just competes in his hometown derby, says he’ll be back next year to defend, hopefully in the same truck.
‘For the pain’
Vernon Hites Jr., of Tiffin, says he competes “for the pain.” He began competing at the age of 14 and has been going at it for 35 years, winning the Full-Size Car Feature Wednesday. He says his oldest son keeps him involved.
Hites, representing Bently Beach Egg Farms, says his strategy is to go for tire shots. Put the tires out of commission, and you have a shot at driving the last car standing.
The full-size car division came down to Hites in his No. 04, a 1976 Buick Electra, and Marcus Ellitt (Ellit Stripping) in his No. 003 with Jeremy Avers (Price Racing Engines) placing third, followed by Richard Hites (Bently Beach Egg Farms) fourth out of nine drivers.
The first two divisions, the front wheel drive stock and mini-weld (mini compact) divisions were both won by Toyota Camrys.
For Brad Menard of Sylvania, his No. 79 took down Don Garner Jr.’s No. 88 and Thomas Russel’s No. 28 in the latter stages, competing in a field of eight mini-compact cars.
Menard’s 1997 Camry was still running at the end, and there is good chance he drove it off the lot to be hauled back to his workshop.
“It wouldn’t die,” Menard said. “I just figured out how to finish it off. I really didn’t think we had a chance to win.
“It’s so much fun. It is the best 15 minutes you can have. It is amazing. We do a couple a year,” Menard continued.
“I’ve done this since back when I was in teenager, and then I got back into a couple years ago because I’ve got kids and they like being out in the car with me, so we build these together. My stepdaughter actually drove the car once and I drove it to finish it off.”
Menard said that Wednesday’s win was the third time he has run the same Camry in a demolition derby.
“They are tough. It just keeps going and going,” Menard said.
Plus, it was Menard’s second demolition derby victory in two days. Tuesday, during the first night of competition, his red and white mini-van tied with Will Bechstein’s black and white mini-van, a 2002 Mercury Villager.
Bechstein, who was sponsored by Tinker of Toys in Wayne, was competing in his first demolition derby while Menard was sponsored by Junk King and Off the Rails Food Trolley.
The two mini-vans locked bumpers, even though the transmission was already out in one vehicle and in the other, the front side was buried and dragging in the dirt, so a tie was declared.
Veteran winner in stock division
Clay Bowman, a veteran from Tiffin who has won eight derbies at various sites, brought home the front wheel drive stock division with another Camry. Bowman is a third-generation demolition derby driver.
“I grew up around the sport. My grandpa and dad were always in it,” Bowman said.
Bowman says his strategy is to “just stay alive.” Bowman outlasted 12 other competitors in a crowded field that included Kylee Pietrzak, a Lake High School junior driving her No. 9 for Woodville Auto.
Also handed out for each division was the Angry Beaver Award, sponsored by Allied Concrete Services. The award does not necessarily go to the winner but to the driver who deserves it most for effort, crowd-pleasing, and tenacity.
Angry Beaver awardees were Morgan Huff (front wheel drive stock), Thomas Russel (mini weld), Jeremy Avers (full size weld), and Lucas Jenne of Rudolph, driving “Better Bowtie” in the truck feature.
Although the four winners Wednesday received a check for their efforts, which along with trophies was sponsored by Thayer Family Dealerships, it is more about the challenge preparing a car than anything.
“It takes a lot of work and luck — a lot of luck,” Hites said. “You’ve got to take a lot of things out — the gas tank, and completely strip them and make sure it has a good motor and tranny in it. That is the main thing.
Menard concurred, adding, “It’s a lot of work. We strip everything down, you’ve got to move all the wiring, you’ve got to move the gas tank, make sure it is safe.”
Swayne added, “When I get one ready, I strip everything out of it, seat included, put in my own feet pedals, gas tank, motor, and transmission — everything. The only thing that stays on a vehicle is the front wheels.”
Many of the drivers place spare tires, or “donuts” on the rear wheels to keep the target smaller for competing cars, but there are other strategies, too. Bowman says the front wheel stock is the best division, in his opinion.
“This class here is the cheap class. You can build a car for $600,” Bowman said.
Swayne says it is a little different in the truck division, so that is part of the reason why he just competes in BG instead of traveling from derby to derby.
“The rules are different in other places and it’s too much to build a truck to compete with them,” Swayne said.
Tuesday also saw the Combine Division, which was won by Tyler Trumble of Cygnet who was driving “Kyn Lee Strong,” a Massey 760, in his seventh year competing.
Second went to Trace Trumble, a rookie from North Baltimore who was driving “Memory Maker,” a Gleaner L3 in memory of Dave Bretz.
Tuesday also saw a lawnmower demolition derby and a Little Tites Power Wheels demo derby involving 26 children ages 3-8.
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
Demolition Derby
August 2, 2023
Wood County Fairgrounds
Bowling Green, Ohio
