Friday night marks 15 years of bent metal and big smiles as the Bruce Mines Agricultural Society hosts this year's Bruce Mines Fall Fair demolition derby.
To mark the occasion, the event's organizers tell us where it all started:
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15 years running strong
It was 2002 when locals Dave Bordeleau and Doug Strum had convinced the Bruce Mines Agricultural Society directors to host its first annual Demolition Derby at the Bruce Mines Fall Fair.
It was a long process convincing the skeptical board to host this event’ it took over a year of begging, putting out a questionnaire to the locals, Dave and Doug joining the society and becoming the organizers before one director said, “Why not try, what do we have to lose?”
The first year was an unexpected huge success; over the years it has had its up’s and down’s based on the price of scrap to purchase cars, but always a great show! Originally it started out with 8cyl, 6cyl, and 4cyl car classes, but over the years with the price of scrap up the 8cyl cars were getting harder and harder to find, so in 2009 we introduced the “Truck Class” to go with the 6cyl and 4cyl car classes.
Organizing the event takes a tremendous amount of time, and although organizing the event, Doug likes to get a truck ready to participate. “I haven’t been able to go in the last few years, but the itch got to me (good thing I have a supportive wife and kids) and I have one ready for this year, my six-year-old is so excited that I’m going in it this year, he has been helping me get the truck ready.”
It’s been a family affair as Doug’s brother Steve has been in the derby every year since it started; he even had one for each class one year. In 2012 it was the 10th anniversary for the derby and Steve was presented with a “perfect Attendance Award from Extreme Productions. Doug’s dad Jim has also been in a number of Derby’s, starting in 2006 when Doug and Steve surprised him with a car ready for the Derby and said ”your running this one”
There is a number of rules and modifications you have to follow to get a car/truck ready for the Derby, but they are all for the safety of the drivers and spectators. Each vehicle is tech inspected before you’re allowed to participate to ensure its safe and you’re not cheating.
The event is held this Friday, 6:30 p.m. at the Bruce Mines Fairgrounds. Cost for adults is $10 each and kids 12 and under are free. Rules can be found on our Facebook page: Bruce Mines Fall Fair or by calling Doug at 705-971-1382
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