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Teen takes first place in first adult demo heat
15-year-old wins Henry County Fair Demolition Derby
MT. PLEASANT — While many aspects of county fairs lend themselves to relaxed, slower-paced enjoyment, excitement and energy ramped up to 11 as demolition derby fans filled the grand stands for an evening filled with risk-taking crashes.
As it is with most demolition derbies, fans attending Henry County Fair’s Demolition Derby had no idea what to expect from crashes, fires, and the winners.
The most unexpected part of Henry County Fair’s Demolition Derby came at the conclusion of the stock mid-size heat when the top two winners were revealed to be only 14 and 15 years old.
Following a power wheel heat and a lawn mower heat, 14-year-old driver of the 16 car Grant Beschorner, and 15-year-old driver of the 10c car Carsen Miller duked it out for the duration of the stock mid-size heat.
Admittedly, Miller said he felt all the nerves before heading into his first adult heat.
“I was about passing out,” he said. “I was breathing so hard … When I go in there, before I make the first hit, I’m super nervous, but after that, I’m good.”
Despite ramming into other cars at full-force, Miller says the overall feeling while competing is friendly.
“I saw [Beschorner] in the staging line next to me and I gave him a thumbs-up,” Miller said.
Early on in the heat, Beschorner lost use of a back wheel, but continued to annihilate the competition one crash at a time.
As the 17 stock cars slowly dwindled, only Beschorner and Miller remained until the damage done to Beschorner’s car finally did him in and an official broke his stick signifying his inability to continue.
As the crowd cheered, both drivers emerged from their cars victorious.
At just 15, Miller could not stop grinning after realizing he won.
While many younger drivers participated in the demolition derby day with the lawn mower and power wheel heats, Miller stated he has driven stock mid-size demolition derby cars with a parent in the passenger seat from the age of 10.
Even as Miller now drives in the demolition derbies on his own, he says his father plays an important role in his success as he stands beside the demolition derby rink coaching him.
“Whenever it got down to just the two of us my dad taps his nose telling me to use my nose more instead of my back,” Miller said.
As Miller prepared to participate in his first all adult heat at the Henry County Fair, his father offered him advice.
“The day before the Derby, he told me to just take her slow at first,” Miller said. “Then once there’s not a lot of cars just go full-on.”
According to Miller, “It feels really good [to win], especially with this many cars and adults!”
As the sun began to set, the crowds continued to cheer and the cars continued to roar.
The remaining parts of the demolition derby included many more loud crashes, minimal fires, knocked over barriers, and even a car nearly leaving the demolition pit.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com
