Demolition derby rocks county fair

Published in the Addison Independent

NEW HAVEN — A junkyard was parked in the mud. The crowds were gathered to watch the ultimate battle, a fight to the mechanical death. The last one to need a repair shop wins — except they all could already use some body work, and maybe a few new parts.

A coat of paint? Definitely.

But then, this is the Addison County Fair and Field Days demolition derby, where muscle and steel count for everything and things like windshields and mufflers don't even exist.

Fire crews and an ambulance stand ready to rescue drivers whose cars get destroyed — or rather, finished off. Seventy vehicles are in the lineup for the night, in six heats with a final feature smash-up for the big money.

Without the traditional Field Days rainstorm, the Vergennes Fire Department had to pre-soak the ground to ensure the proper degree of mud for the first night of competition on Wednesday. The destruction began with four heats of big six-cylinder cars.

Here is a look at how the action went.

In the first heat, Thadeus Sorrell in the No. 41 car took several long high-speed runs, reversing into the mass of cars at one end of the ring or the other. But his fortune turned against him when several cars seemed to gang up on him, reducing his car to a smoking hulk with massive bends in its frame.

Matthew DeBisschop in car 70 took Madeline Martell in car 57 and Travis Forbes (car 45) on a long ride most of the length of the ring, pushing Forbes over the concrete barrier at the edge.

"Number 51 is now a compact," the announcer said, after a big multi-car collision.

The heat winners were Chad Steady (car 99) and Mike McGrath in car 11. Wendell Mason in car 21 was third.

The top two in a heat win money and are eligible to appear in the final feature of the night. The third driver is also eligible for the final, though the driver wins no money for the heat.

As the smoke cleared, two Bobcats and a forklift entered the ring to begin removing the steaming, smoking wrecks. Most of the drivers were able to steer their cars; some were able to move under their own power after being extracted from other cars or the barrier edging the ring.

The second heat started with Pat Deering (car 12) nicking part of the log barrier on his way into the ring.

Nathan Bingham (car 9) was quickly driven up high on the barrier. Thomas Sattus (car 38) hit Troy Goduo (car 30) heavily, but was then pinned by three disabled cars. Eric Huestis in car 55 cleared Goduo with a heavy hit.

Derrick Dykstra (car 81) got stuck in a corner for a while, but managed to make it out eventually. Because his car was protected from the early carnage, Dykstra was able to make some long damaging runs later in the heat.

Goduo put a huge hit on Deering, lifting both cars off the ground. Car 55 had destroyed its rear end, but Heustis continued smashing competitors with the back seat.

When action resumed after a fire was extinguished, Nathan Bingham took his No. 9 on a long run, pushing Harry Chamberland (car 22) high up onto the barrier. Chamberland was able, though, to spin his wheels enough to get unstuck.

VanDeWeert and Chamberland were the top two in the heat, while Bingham also survived to be eligible for the final round.

In the cleanup, Garrett Given's No. 77 pushed Matt Deering (car 13) out of the ring.

As the cars entered the ring for the third six-cylinder heat, Phillip Stevens' No. 63 died before even getting past the barrier. Stevens, obviously frustrated, was towed away, but would return in the fourth heat.

This round was characterized by several cars pushed up on the barrier very quickly, and by the massive fishtail tactics of Boomer LaFountain in the No. 57 car.

For a time, Kenny Lussier in No. 2 was sandwiched between LaFountain and Gerard Grant in No. 71, but escaped and slammed Jeffrey Sampson's into the wall.

Sampson got stuck in the corner behind Jody Bartlett's No. 72. Sampson kept backing into Bartlett, hammering away trying to get out, but eventually the engine had enough and quit in a massive cloud of smoke and steam.

LaFountain and Lussier won the heat, with Ben Paquin (car 69) in third.

"It was my first time out there," Lussier said, "I just keep hittin' and hittin' and hittin'."

In trying to remove David Parker's car 51 from its position on the barrier, the Bobcat drivers nearly flipped it. When they did get it unstuck, though, Parker was able to drive out of the ring without a problem.

Stevens got his car 63 into the ring for the fourth heat, but only took one run at an opponent before it died.

The No. 35 car, driven by Roxie Hall, caught fire and Hall got out quickly. Safely in the crowd, she could still see the flames in her head.

"I had watched the fire long enough," she said.

Gregory Manchester in No. 52 and Michael Gill in No. 32 set up a joint attack on Mike LaFountain's car 84, but it went awry. Gill successfully hit LaFountain, but was immediately hit by Manchester.

Bruce Putnam, in No. 50, had some serious trouble with his partially-detached bumper. No matter where he headed, he had to drive over his own bumper to get there. It made for a rockier ride than usual for Putnam, whose car later caught fire.

The final three were locked in battle for a long time. Manchester and LaFountain sandwiched Tim Tenney's No. 44, compressing it from both ends simultaneously. When Tenney finally escaped, his car was crippled.

LaFountain executed a smooth evasion of a threat from Manchester, but was hit by Tenney's crawling car in a last-gasp effort to keep car 44 in the running.

In the back lot, work was frantic. Drivers who won their heats were trying to fix up their vehicles to give them a good chance in the final.

"They're just rippin' stuff off, ripping fenders off, changing tires, chains and that," said Mike McGrath. He didn't have much work to do, though.

"I just tried to plug up the radiator so it won't leak," he said.

In the meantime, the four-cylinder cars were lined up to drive each other to bits in two heats.

Jason Paquette in No. 42 was first off the line, but Chris Bearor in car 9 stole the early stages with a long sweeping run piling up several cars on the rear end of his.

Todd Huestis in No. 75 had a flashing light atop his car. After a few hits, though, the light quit flashing and just stayed on.

Jeremy Markwell in No. 65 smashed into Bearor, putting both through the barrier.

"It's crunch time at the Addison County Field Days," the announcer said.

Melissa Smith in No. 31 went head-to-head with Kevin Wedge in No. 17. Smith, granddaughter of legendary demo derby driver Wally LaFountain, took a huge evasive swing and drove Wedge into the wall for the win.

In the second four-cylinder heat, John Bannon, Jr., in car 22, didn't get off the line.

The other cars did, though, and soon bumpers, tires and car parts littered the mud, popping tires and adding to the mayhem.

In a tribute to the American automotive industry, several cars took head-on collisions and kept moving, with their drivers unhurt.

Mike Paquette in No. 19 and Steve Miller in No. 33 were the last two. Miller's car was much stronger, but Paquette's was more agile and outmaneuvered its opponent for the win.

FINAL FEATURE
The final feature heat brought back the winners in the six-cylinder class. Some were in the same cars, while others had traded up to better cars for the final.

Mike McGrath in No. 11 dominated the final, making hard hits on Jason VanDeWeert in No. 25 and Mike LaFountain in No. 49. LaFountain and Harry Chamberland in No. 78 spun their tires into cinders and smoke.

LaFountain and McGrath were the last two, engaged in a dance for the cash. They spun in circles, went back and forth, side by side. McGrath's dashboard warning lights were all lit up.

In the haze and smoke the two drivers eyed each other, each aiming to disable the other's car without a fatal blow to his own. After several attempts, McGrath got free and set up for a crushing reverse blow. He delivered it and went back for another, both of which landed solidly.

LaFountain's engine caught fire, and it was all over.

McGrath came over to the stands, waving his trophy to the adulation of his fans. His most enthusiastic supporter, though, was Dave Musante, who gave McGrath the car.

"When I first came here in 1998, I drove into a snowbank," Musante said. "Mike pulled me out and said it looked like a good car for the derby. I told him, 'It's yours when I get rid of it.'"

On Thursday, the action continued, with Dave Holbrook outlasting everyone and taking the championship.

Field Days kicks off with kids: From dairy cows to the call of the carnie, fair has it all

Published in the Addison Independent

NEW HAVEN - Over at the Addison County fairgrounds, the chairs and awnings are set up, the lights are on and the merry-go-round is turning. Kids and adults of all ages roamed from the calliope to the Christmas trees, and between the handmade candles and flashing electric lights.

It was the first day of the Addison County Fair and Field Days.

At the booth displaying the machines of Middlebury's Champlain Valley Equipment, things were quiet in the early afternoon.

"Nighttime is better," Matt Deering said. He and his brother Pat and their boss, Jerry Gordon, were waiting for customers to appear for their tractors, barbecue grills and other equipment.

The threesome were in good spirits and enthusiastic about their products, and were looking forward to increased traffic later in the day.

Tom Verner is performing his magician's act for the first time at Field Days. He does two shows
each afternoon. His first show drew a good number of spectators, including a group from Camp Keewaydin.

"It gets bigger as the week goes on," Verner said.

Up on the midway, Mike Greenhalgh's voice rings out.

"Rollaball racin'. Firstclowntotheendwins. It's a rrrraace!"

He is reaching out for potential competitors, without a lot of success, so far.

"It's day one," Greenhalgh said. It's his first time in Vermont, and he's glad to be here.

"Rolling hills. I love 'em," he said.

His computerized game does much of the work for him, but he has to attract the people.

Two 10-year-old girls approached and asked about the game. They looked a bit uncertain, but Greenhalgh is a salesman. He told them what they want to know, showed off the stuffed-toy prizes and suggested they go get a few more friends to race against.

"The more racers the nicer the prize," he said.

The girls left, with a promise to return with a bigger group.

ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL
With all the people the Field Days draws, politicians can't be far behind. Even Bernie Sanders showed up to campaign in the evening.

The Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force was collecting signatures for its "marriage resolution."

"Ultimately the idea is equality," said task force statewide coordinator Dorothy Mammen, who is running for a House seat representing Middlebury. She said a lot of people had come by the booth.

Take it to the People was also there. "We're urging people to get out and vote," said booth staffer Jean Smith. The booth had a "petition to repeal civil unions."

"We're not pushing it," Smith said. "But people who do come by usually have a strong opinion."

The Democratic and Republican parties were also there, with candidates, balloons, bumper stickers, buttons and signs.

Several people, including some out-of-staters had come by the Democratic booth, according to Fran Putnam.

"Everybody's excited about the Gore-Lieberman ticket," Putnam said.

Bette Trucott of Barton drove down from the Northeast Kingdom to staff the Take Back Vermont booth, where things were fairly quiet.

"They come in clusters," Trucott said. "The Take Back Vermont sign gets a lot of interest. We're a nonpartisan group."

AROUND THE GROUNDS
At the peewee cattle show, Allie Orlando of New York showed Pee-Wee, a calf owned by her cousins, the Weavers of Rochester. She had done this once before, as have most of the other competitors in her group, the kids who will show in 4-H next year.

The judge, Jim Gilmore of the University of Vermont, asked each youngster a few questions about their calves. He also passed along a few tips.

"You oughta give 'em a name," Gilmore said. "You want to walk slow so she looks nice. And keep her head up."

Allie did fairly well and didn't have the mammoth struggle others endured to keep their stubborn calves walking around the ring.

The Addison County Dairy Board's booth was giving away both white and chocolate milk, but only one of those was really moving.

"People love chocolate milk," said Charlie Huizenga. "It's about five to one. They come around here just for the chocolate milk."

At the Home and Garden display, the flowers and vegetables were alongside beautiful baked goods and textiles.

"We have quite a large number of entries," Carol Morrison said. The awards ceremony for the home and garden is 8 p.m. Thursday.

"We have a lot of winners," Morrison said.

Devon Karpak, Ripton's "Balloon Man," was in the 4-H building making complex art forms out of inflated rubber. A few kids could be spotted wearing his creations, though most just had the normal helium-filled balloons tied to their wrists.

Karpak is a self-taught balloon artist whose skills are well-known among his peers.

"Give it to anybody out there that's my age," he said, "and they'll know."

Anthony Mastergeorge of AJ's Catering has been making fried dough at fairs throughout the Northeast for 47 years. This fair, he said, is his favorite.

"It's the most courteous fair of the year," Mastergeorge said. "There's more families that come to this fair. Everybody says 'please' and 'thank you.'"

Mastergeorge, from Connecticut, also appreciates the esthetics of the fair and its surroundings.

"The scenery is beautiful," he said.

But more importantly, he said, it's the right kind of fair.

"They stay with the agriculture," Mastergeorge said. "Once they change that, it just becomes another carnival."