Not as elegant as olympic sports but, Platte County demolition derby is still a visual treat
Chris Ochsner
·1 min read
The summer county fair season is off to a bang and a few other loud, crunching, roaring sounds. At least those were some of the predominant noises coming from the Platte County Fairgrounds Thursday night at the demolition derby.
Thousands of people packed the stands at the fairgrounds in Tracy, Missouri, to watch the chaos of dozens of demolition derby teams smashing their cars into each other hoping to be the last one still able to move at the end of each heat. There were thousands of dollars of prize money at stake for the winners.
The Platte County Fair lays claim to being the longest running county fair west of the Mississippi. It’s the 158th rendition of the fair which opened its gates on Wednesday of this week and will host the final events for this year Saturday night. The only thing that has prevented the event from opening according to the history of the fair on their website is the Civil War which kept it from going on in 1861 and 1862. The fair proceeded last year and this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other area county fairs are scheduled to start soon. The Johnson County Fair in Gardner, Kansas, starts on July 26 and runs through August 1. The Leavenworth County Fair in Tonganoxie, Kansas, starts July 27 and runs through July 31.
Here are some photos of the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair.
Fans watch as cars run into each other during the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Drivers push each other in the final feature of the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Berkley Lindsey watches out for other drivers while competing in the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
People walk under the grand stands on their way to watch the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Fans cheer while watching the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Jaden Vaner looks for other cars during the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Kelby Dean runs into Jeremy Seckel in the third heat of the compact car category at the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
People sit in the the stands before the demolition derby begins at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Casey Concannon poses for a portrait in between heats during the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Mo
Brandon Edwin competes in the first heat for compact cars in the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Kelby Dean gains speed in the third heat of the compact car category at the Demolition Derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
Brandon Vossmar gets pushed into the ditch by other cars at the demolition derby at the Platte County Fair, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tracy, Missouri.
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