It’s Raining Cars!

Note: Mary is on a temporary hiatus during September - This is a post originally written on August 13, 2006.

Today’s demo derby at the Dakota County Fair was incredible. Despite the downpour between the 2nd and 3rd heats, it was awesome. This year’s Sunday matinee featured pick-ups for the 3 heats, the consolation and the championship round.
The best part was the Automotive Recyclers heat, featuring giant’70’s cars smashing into one another, each sponsored by a local parts recycler (a.k.a. a local junkyard). I have so many favorites, I didn’t know who to root for. I love Viking Auto Salvage, right here in Farmington, and I love Ace Auto Parts up in St. Paul. Ace is the first auto recycler I discovered with a database of all of their parts. Instead of going out in the yard and hunting around for a car like mine, which may or may not have the part that I need, I can call Ace and ask them what’s in stock. Viking adopted this system too. It’s great! Just like calling the auto parts store, but only better, because the people at Ace and Viking know what they’re doing.
The trucks kept getting stuck together. A truck rammed into another truck’s bumper and they couldn’t dislodge. Since it was raining, some of the trucks got stuck in the mud in the center of the pit. Even one of the tow trucks got stuck while trying to dislodge a Ford pickup. I got showered with chunks of mud a few times. Getting hit with mud at the demo derby is like getting hit with the lead singer’s sweat at a metal concert. It’s a messy badge of honor.
The rain was a bit cold, but I brought my new Farmington Tigers jacket with me. I pulled it on over my “Dakota County Fair Demo Derby 2005” T-shirt when I started to freeze. I bought my Tigers jacket at the Christos Victor Lutheran church garage sale on Friday. I have to thank Liz, the gal who donated the jacket which bears her name. Since Dueber’s department store closed there is no source of Tiger wear in Farmington. These jackets are $50 or $60 bucks and I picked one up for only $3 at the sale. Cool!
Well, I’ve got to get rolling. I just washed my Tigers jacket when I bought it, and now I’ve got to wash it again, to get the Demo Derby pit mud off it.
Today’s demo derby winner was Chris Zimmerman of Cannon Falls. Good job Chris!