The future is looking brighter for Barrhead’s Blue Heron Fair demolition derby after a well-attended meeting about the event’s fate last week.
Twenty-two concerned community members showed up at the Ag Barn June 11 to discuss options for the derby, which has been facing the possibility of cancellation due to lack of participants.
Brenda Petruchik, who organizes the derby with her husband Greg, said she thinks the meeting was a turning point for the smashup. She was even able to recruit several new drivers that very night.
“I think we had about five new guys show up that are putting vehicles in,” she said. “I was very happy to see some young people show up, other than our regular drivers.”
The meeting also welcomed a second woman driver, said Petruchik, so the event will have more than one lady in the ring this year.
Of course many of the drivers who put on a show in the arena every year were in attendance as well, and Petruchik said they were ready to do what it takes to ensure the derby isn’t canceled.
“Our veteran drivers were pretty shook up that we might cancel this,” she said.
“They’re going to step up to the plate. We’ve got to teach these young people, they need help to learn.”
Petruchik added Barrhead Chamber of Commerce president Dave Sawatzky, who also attended the meeting, said the Chamber would help promote the derby too.
“No one wants to see this go down,” said Petruchik. “Maybe everybody just had to be made aware of what’s going on.”
There were many ideas tossed around about how to keep the event going. A big change going forward will be the start time of the derby, which has been changed from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“We’re hoping then that some of these younger drivers and away drivers can make it,” said Petruchik. “We’re going to bring in some big lights and we’re going to light up the place. I think it will be cool with the lights.”
The issue of recruiting new drivers still remained though, which was another major topic of discussion. The major challenge being locating the derby vehicles and affordability of preparing those cars and trucks for the event.
Petruchik said organizers will be seeking out sponsors who can help with covering the cost of materials like batteries, angle iron, paint, cabling, and gas tanks.
It’s these items that cause the cost of entering a vehicle to slowly add up, particularly for a new driver. To buy a car and all the required start up materials, Petruchik said it probably costs around $1,500.
However after a driver enters once, the cost is considerably lower in following years.
“Now we don’t pay that much money because we have the tank, we have the batteries that we use over again, we have our cable, we have our angle iron. We just have to go buy the car and put the time in,” said Petruchik. “It doesn’t cost as much after the first year.”
But the ball is rolling, and Petruchik has already received one call from someone interested in being a sponsor. She also had another call from a woman offering a 1977 T-Bird that was sitting in her yard.
“Lots of people have stuff in their yards that they’d just like to get rid of. We would like them to call us,” said Petruchik. “We will find a place to stockpile them for next year if we have to. I don’t think we can get too many.”
Though help in locating a vehicle is available, Petruchik urges interested drivers to have a look for themselves. Some of the responsibility is on the participants, she said, and help will follow once a derby car or truck is found.
“Get a car together, and we’ll help you find the sponsor and to help you pay for your cost,” said Petruchik. “Then you’ll have everything for next year and all you have to do is find the car.”
After a successful meeting, Petruchik is feeling positive moving forward. So positive in fact, that she is hoping to double last year’s numbers.
“Our goal is now 30 cars and trucks by derby night,” she said. “We think we’re going to do it. We’re going to fill it full.”
Entry deadline for the demolition derby is July 25. Anyone interested in participating as a driver, becoming a sponsor, or donating a vehicle can contact Brenda at 674-1764.
