Whitley County Fair needs ‘minivan’ division for 2022 demolition derby

The demolition derby at the Whitley County Fair last week drew a healthy crowd with more than 600 spectators turning out last Thursday night.

Go to any fair or similar event and if there is a demolition derby it will be one of the biggest, if the not the biggest draw.

There were two divisions at the fair this year. Once was for the smallercars. And the second was for the larger cars.

The key word is, “cars.” And that is where I suggest that the Whitley County Fair Board get innovative in 2022.

Sit outside any school building when it is drop off or pickup time, and it can be a demolition derby in the making.

Vehicles flying around everywhere, inches from one another.

While the SUV is continuing to gain in popularity as the preferred vehicle for hauling the crew to and fro, the minivan is still synonymous with the vision of the soccer mom dropping off and picking up the kids from all of these places.

That is why I’m proposing the fair board add a minivan division to the demolition derby.

Picture the field loaded with minivans beating and banging.

It would be a proud ending for the family van that has reached the end of the line. Send it out in a blaze of glory!

I covered the Laurel County Fair’s Demolition Derby years ago where I spoke with a man who took the family’s car that had reached its end and turned it into a derby car for his teenage daughter.

To really add to the event, I am suggesting that it be limited to local moms.

No doubt, those moms that crawl through the drop off and pickup lines five days a week have some pent-up frustration from that daily grind. Every one of them probably knows someone else in the line that they would just love to plow out of the way.

Here is the opportunity.

If there are sufficient entries, the heats could be broken down by schools.

The moms from each school get to beat and bang on each other to decide who goes to the finale.

If you have the room, let the moms from each school team up to take on the other schools in one giant derby. Last school standing gets a portion of the proceeds donated to its family resource center, athletics program, Odyssey of the Minds, library, band, or other program that is constantly making students sell candy bars, flowers, fireworks or other items to go on trips or make ends meet.

Maybe one of the local car dealerships would be willing to put up a newer model minivan as the grand prize.

Or get a company, like Davis Salvage, to agree to provide the winner with a minivan to compete with in the following year so she has the opportunity to defend her title.

It could be a big flop where nobody shows up to participate. On the other end, it could draw a huge response.

The fair already has the time for the event and the location. Throw it out there and see what happens.