Demolition Derby draws a big crowd in Burford
Hundreds of drivers are hoping to crash their way to the top prize at the Billy Bash Demolition Derby in Burford this weekend.
"It's a good way to vent out your aggression," said Chris Hansen, one of the derby drivers participating at the event.
"There's no more adrenaline feeling than smashing up a car, climbing out and getting a trophy," said derby organizer Ron McClung. "Most of the time you get a check or cash money with it."
The winner of the top prize will take home $5,000, part of the $30,000 up for grabs throughout the three-day event.
Some of the participants don't even have their driver's license yet.
"I'm 15 [and I] can't ride on a road, but this thing can smash anybody," said Dryden Maritt.
Cars at the Billy Bash Demolition Derby in Burford on July 2, 2022. (Tyler Kelaher/CTV Kitchener)
As for the vehicles, most won't last beyond Sunday.
"I plan on not having to load it back onto the trailer," said derby driver Joseph Eggett. "It's going to be written off."
"There's some cars here that are worth upwards of $30,000 to be smashed," added McClung.
The Billy Bash Demolition Derby returned this year after a nearly decade-long hiatus.
McClung said he has big plans to make the event bigger and better.
"We have 150 drivers signed up throughout the weekend," he explained. "I have people here from Illinois, from Pennsylvania, New Liskeard. There's drivers signed up from as far away as Quebec. We're having a demolition derby, figure eight racing, live concert, [and] fireworks on Canada Day weekend."
McClung said it's about putting on a show and bringing everyone together.
"People can come out and see events like this again, which is lovely. It's a community event and it brings people from all over into the community, which helps the community too."
The demolition derby continues Sunday in Burford.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.