Demolition derby a real smash for fair crowd

Jason Cook, (front), and his relative Shawn Cook (131) took first and second place during the demolition derby held Wednesday at the Warren County Fairgrounds.

Staff photo by Greg Lynch Jason Cook, (front), and his relative Shawn Cook (131) took first and second place during the demolition derby held Wednesday at the Warren County Fairgrounds.

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By Eric Schwartzberg, Staff Writer Updated 12:31 PM Thursday, July 21, 2011

LEBANON — Matt Schutt hoisted 3-year-old son Christopher atop his shoulders to give him a better view of the demolition derby Wednesday at the Warren County Fair.

“He’s just interested in cars and seeing them crash without getting in trouble,” said Schutt, who drove from Kettering for the event. “I showed him a couple of online clips before fair season and he’s been obsessed with it.”

The sounds of crunching metal and spinning tires elicited a series of “oohs” and “ahhs” from Schutt’s blond-haired boy. “It’s been pretty amazing,” Schutt said.

Shaun Day of Lebanon agreed. Attending a demolition derby for the fourth time, Day called it his favorite part of the fair.

“I like the crashin’ and burnin’,” he said. “The adrenaline of seeing other cars do it without getting in trouble.”

Zachary Bennett, 15, of Lebanon, won first place and $50 during the youth mowers portion of the event, something Back to Back Promotions introduced at the fair during last year’s derby.

For Bennett, who estimates he has competed in 20 or 30 derbies in the past year, it was the second first place win of his young career and the first such victory at the Warren County Fair.

“It feels good ‘cause it’s my home town and I love this fair,” he said.

Chris Philpot won first place and $200 the modified mowers competition and Jason Cook scored first place and $1,000 for the “1980 or newer cars” portion of the event.

Jesse Branham of Lebanon, a former derby driver with 27 years of experience behind the wheel, compared the modified mowers to “small bulldozers, the way they’re encased in steel.”

Jamie Hopper, 18, of Hamilton, sat astride one of those steel beasts prior to the contest, a jet-black machine emblazoned with a Confederate flag on top and a flaming skull on both sides.

The contraption took three months to modify for derby competition but was well worth the investment of time, Hopper said.

“I enjoy going out there and having fun, getting on the mowers and just having a blast doing it,” he said.

He was joined on the track by his father, Mike Hopper, who cited a different reason for his continued involvement.

“It’s sort of a father-and-son bonding thing we do together,” he said.

The fair’s next demolition derby is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5126 or eschwartzberg@ coxohio.com.

Thursday at the Warren County Fair

8 a.m.: Rabbit Show, Rabbit Barn

8:30 a.m.: Dairy Show, Building E

9 a.m.: Market Hog Showmanship, Building C

1 p.m.: Harness Racing, Grandstand

6 p.m.: Market Hog Sale, Building C

7 p.m.: Talent Show, activity tent

7:30 p.m.: WPI/NTPA Tractor Pull, grandstand

9 p.m.: Karaoke, activity tent

Due to excessive heat, rides will not start until 4 p.m., and the cost for a ride bracelet will be discounted from $18 to $15, said Tari Maddox, Warren County Fair Board secretary.

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