West Potsdam's annual demolition derby a crowd pleaser and money maker

WEST POTSDAM — Christopher M. Mossow's car had seen better days. Its make and model were no longer recognizable and its back end resembled a crumpled aluminum can.

But as the demolition derby driver surveyed the twisted remains of what used to be an eight-cylinder Ford sedan at the West Potsdam Fire Department's St. Lawrence County Demolition Derby Championship on Sunday, hope still glimmered in his eyes.

"It'll still run," the St. Regis Falls resident said with a grin. "It just got hot and quit, so I'm letting it cool down."

Hundreds of people crowded the Blanchard Road firemen's field by mid-day, cheering as drivers enthusiastically smashed cars into oblivion.

Overheated motors smoked. Metal crunched. And the crowd shouted for more.

Derby chairman Matthew L. Stone predicted that by the end of the day more than 1,000 spectators would have come through the gates.

"That's not counting those who sneak in," he said.

Mr. Stone said he started organizing the department's demolition derbies in 1981, and they've always been popular. The events are major fundraisers for the department, pulling in about $5,000 in profit per event to pay for equipment and training, said Daniel M. Monica, assistant chief.

For the drivers, more than bragging rights were on the line. Mr. Monica and Mr. Stone said the last driver with a mobile, running vehicle would secure entry to the New York State Championship Demolition Derby on Sept. 7 at the New York State Fair in Syracuse.

"Syracuse is like the Daytona 500 of demolition derbies," Mr. Stone said.

Wayne A. Taillon, owner of Wayne's Salvage, Madrid, hauled mangled cars off the track so drivers could repair them to compete in the next round. No matter how bad the damage looked, many drivers were able to resurrect their entries.

He said drivers sometimes buy junked cars from him to compete in derbies, and he's a regular at the West Potsdam Fire Department's events.

Mr. Taillon said there's no secret formula to winning.

"It's all luck," he laughed. "Your motor could be running great, but if you get stuck or pushed out, you're done."

Mr. Mossow, an eight-year derby veteran who last week in Essex County secured a place at the state championship has a slightly different outlook.

"It's 90 percent luck, but the car has to be able to bend without crushing something that makes the motor run," he said. "You need to have a lot of clearance around the motor."

He said he wasn't worried if his car didn't survive Sunday.

"I have eight more at home," Mr. Mossow said.