In the hours and days following the derby, I’ve answered a lot of questions about how I got into the derby, what it was like, how I feel now, and so on. Just like that, there was an available car for the derby and a chance to check off a bucket list item. And 24 hours later, here I am, inside the derby car gripping the wheel and ready for collision. This was the first time I had ever driven in a demolition derby and about 15 minutes following that initial impact, I would hear the announcer say my name and tell the crowd I had won. And a Legend (in his own mind) was born…
I had seen them on TV many times, but I’d never seen one in person. One year later, I found myself in the arena looking up at those same stands. I had transitioned from spectator to car-clad gladiator. Just 24 hours earlier, a colleague of mine dropped out of the demolition derby. He said he had a bad back and couldn’t risk driving for fear of back pain. A year ago, I sat in the stands at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, CA and watched my first demolition derby. Grip the steering wheel and the crush bar tightly…įloor the gas pedal, dirt and mud kick up around the Grand Marquis, the car behind me and I close the gap between us quickly… IMPACT!!!.Īnd the OC Crush Demolition Derby is on!!!Īs my wife would say, boys and their toys. Look over my right shoulder and lock in on the car directly behind me across the arena…
The 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis rumbles underneath me…Įver so lightly ease off the brake and confirm I’m in gear…
With each number the crowd grows louder and my heart pounds harder… The crowd roars to life as the announcer begins the countdown…
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