AutoMatters & More: Firefighter Demolition Derby at 2023 San Diego County Fair

Motorsports enthusiasts have lots to look forward at the San Diego County Fair, beginning with the annual Firefighter Demolition Derby and the accompanying Fire & Safety Expo. This year’s participants included the Burn Institute and 17 fire departments: Bonita-Sunnyside Fire, CAL FIRE Riverside, Carlsbad Fire, Combat Center Fire, Coronado Fire, Encinitas Fire, Escondido Fire, Fallbrook Firefighters, Imperial Beach Fire, Lakeside Fire Protection District, Miramar Fire, Murrieta Fire, National City Fire, Poway Fire, Rancho Santa Fire, San Marcos Fire and Santee Fire.

This thrilling event would not have been possible without the help of AMR, Burn Institute Volunteers, CAL FIRE, San Diego County Fire, Forest Service, Pala Fire, Poway Fire, Rancho Santa Fe Fire (who also presented the burn car firefighting demonstration), Remembrance Rescue Project, San Diego Gas & Electric, Robert Norton Photography, UC San Diego Regional Burn Center, ScrippsAssists, SDFD Cadets, San Diego County Fair, F & L Media, Jeff Cole and Tom Santos (the Chief Steward).

Burn car firefighting demonstration by Rancho Santa Fe Fire Dept.

The day’s jam-packed schedule began at 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. with free CPR training, safety education, activities for kids and demolition derby car viewing — where the teams could be visited as they worked on last-minute preparations for their Demolition Derby cars. That was the time to take a good last look, because those cars would never look this way again.

Motorsports fans, curious fairgoers, and friends and family members of the demolition derby drivers then filled the stands of the Del Mar Arena, where the afternoon’s events began with the “Burn Run Fire Truck Parade” and the opening ceremonies. There was not a bad seat in the house.

The Firefighter Demolition Derby began at 2 p.m. with the preliminary heats. The number of cars in competition would almost certainly decrease from this point forward, as the drivers eliminated each other.

Following the preliminary heats, Last Chance Qualifier heats were scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m., followed by an introduction of the Derby finalists and then the climactic Main Event, where drivers competed for the event trophy.

Throughout the afternoon, the challenge for spectators was to know where to look, as cars were crashing into each other all over the place. Sometimes two were involved, sometimes more. Frequently they were even shoved up the dirt berm that surrounded the track.

In-between the heats, forklifts would unceremoniously lift up what was left of the majority of the field and haul them away. Outside, in the pits, the volunteer crews would do whatever they could to pound the metal back into place, do mechanical repairs and so forth. The most common tool that I saw being used was a sledgehammer.

The 2023 Firefighter Demolition Derby winner was Donnie Butz, of the Encinitas Fire Department. Second place went to Ken McGowan, of CAL FIRE Riverside County. Mat Newlin, of Carlsbad Fire, came in third.

WGAS Motorsports will return once again to the Del Mar Arena at the San Diego County Fair with Tuff Truck and UVT Racing, and the Monster Ride Truck (June 28); Tuff Truck and Beach Buggy Racing, and the Monster Ride Truck (June 29 & 30); high-flying Monster Trucks, Lawn Mower Racing and Monster Ride Truck (July 1 & 2); and, finally, Monster Trucks, Junior Outlaw and Mini Dwarf Car Racing, and Monster Ride Truck (July 3 & 4). Whether your interests are as a spectator or even as a participant, you can see and learn more about WGAS Motorsports, including their other motorsports competitions throughout the Western United States and beyond (they’ve also produced events in Canada, Mexico and Japan), at wgasmotorsports.com.

Learn more about the programs of the Burn Institute at burninstitute.org, and also see “AutoMatters & More” 786, entitled “FREE Burn Institute program can be a life-saver for senior homeowners,” which tells about how seniors in San Diego and Imperial Counties may receive free smoke and CO detectors for their homes, including the hardware and its installation. Information for that program is available at the burninstitute.org website, or by sending an email to [email protected]. I’ve used that program and I really appreciate the peace of mind knowing that my home is protected.

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