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BURFORD There was a case of street rage in Burford on the weekend that stayed throughout the confines of the fairgrounds the place dozens of automobiles clashed, smashed and bashed into one another till just one was left shifting.
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The demolition derby, dubbed Billy Bash, featured about 150 drivers and drew between 8,000 and 10,000 spectators over the three-day occasion, which included a live performance on Canada Day and a fireworks show on Saturday evening.
“We’ve had incredible climate, numerous good meals and music and it’s been completely superb,” mentioned Ron McClung, one of many organizers.
Billy Bash was developed years in the past by the Williams household in Dorchester, Ont., which operated Thrill Present Productions for many years. When Invoice Williams, one of many unique demo derby members of the family, died, the occasion was dubbed Billy Bash.
However the derby hadn’t run for a number of years. And, when the pandemic hit, the household formally retired it.
“I simply needed to carry it again,” mentioned McClung, who operates I AM Demolition with members of the family.
“Individuals like watching carnage. It’s an adrenalin rush.”
For the drivers, they get to wreck a automotive and probably declare a reward. The derby handed out $30,000 in prizes over the weekend, $6,000 in big trophies and several other thousand {dollars} for drivers who placed on an excellent present for the gang.
“Our hottest occasion this weekend was the Energy Wheels the place we had children out right here within the straight-away smashing into one another,” mentioned McClung.
“All of them received trophies and goodie baggage.”
The demolition enviornment was surrounded by a number of layers of concrete obstacles, with fireplace extinguishers stationed across the edges.
“We’re very safety and safety-conscious,” McClung mentioned. “We had one little carburetor fireplace and we haven’t needed to black flag anybody.”
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Drivers get black-flagged for not entering into the spirit of demolishing the competitors, for hiding, “enjoying possum” or “sand-bagging,” the place a driver would possibly stall behind a useless automotive after which come out towards the tip to attempt to take the win.
Ultimately, just one car in a match remains to be in a position to transfer and the motive force takes a trophy whereas some Bobcats transfer in to push out the dropping automobiles.
McClung mentioned that, of the taking part drivers, a number of got here from the U.S., together with one winner.
The drivers introduced with them their very own automobiles, starting from these 40-plus years outdated and newer, fully-welded up pro-stock automobiles that might be value $10,000 to $30,000. The bashed up automobiles are generally written off or repaired sufficient to drive one other day in one other derby.
“The winner might get $2,000 and use the automotive once more.”
The Burford Agricultural Society hoped the Billy Bash would entice at the least 4,000 and clear $20,000 – funds that would assist with different fairground actions which have faltered through the pandemic, together with the Thanksgiving fall honest in October.
McClung mentioned the profitable weekend means the Billy Bash might develop into an annual occasion with much more courses of automobiles and occasions.
SGamble@postmedia.com
@EXPSGamble
