Prizes and fun for everyone at this year's Bluffdale demolition derby

For the past nine years, Bluffdale residents have been gearing up their engines, literally, for the annual demolition derby. This year the derby will be held on Saturday, June 11 at the Bluffdale City Park located at 14400 South 2200 West.
The Bluffdale Lion's Club sponsors the event each year. This year, there will be approximately 20 members helping with the event. They have also commissioned Stirrin Dirt Racing to officiate the races.
"The race has always been a big draw," Rick Crane, a Lion's Club member, said.
Crane said that there are usually around 2,500 people who show up for the event. The event starts at 7 p.m. and is expected to run a couple of hours.
But there's more to do then just watch the cars crash into each other.
There will also be prizes and entertainment for the spectators, along with concessions provided during the course of the evening.
Tickets can be purchased online for $10. There will be tickets available at the gate for $12. Children 3 or younger will have free admission. These tickets can be found online at either bluffdale.com or bluffdalelions.org.
All proceeds of the evening go to help the Lion's Club. The club uses these monies to fund the many community events they host during the year.
There will be about 24 cars participating in the races this year. These cars will be divided into what are known as heats. Each heat will host about eight cars racing against each other. There will be a total of five heats during the evening. The first three of these heats will be the main part of the races.
Another of the heats will be what is called a "grudge match." This heat will consist of drivers who didn't win during the first three heats and have been able to get their cars going again. The final heat will involve the winners from the previous heats.
Three winners, first second and third, will receive prize money from the prize pool of $5,000. There will also be prizes given out for the winners of each heat as well as a prize for the best looking car. These prizes will be determined by the judges from Stirrin Dirt Racing.
"We're hoping for a really great show," Jim "Gumby" Simko, Stirrin Dirt's promoter, said.
There will be games for the crowd to enjoy all evening, including games for the kids. Last year these games included a frozen t-shirt competition and a hunt for quarters in sawdust for the little kids. A raffle will be held at the beginning of the race for a car that will be driven in the race. These tickets will cost $5 each.

By Alisha Tondro for The South Valley Journal

Published in June 2011 in Riverton, Utah

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