Demolition Derby

Demolition Derby is a no-holds-barred car destruction derby. Played inside a rectangular arena, the object of the game is destroy other players' vehicles while preserving your own. Destroying your opponent's car is best accomplished by throwing your car into reverse and using your trunk to ram into the other vehicles. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of 10 or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another. The last driver whose vehicle is still operational is awarded the victory.

Demolition derby can be very dangerous, but serious injuries are rare. To make the event safer, all glass is removed from the vehicle, and deliberately ramming the driver's-side door area is usually forbidden. The driver's door is often required to be painted bright orange or a contrasting color for visibility. Most demolition derbies are held on dirt tracks or open fields that are usually soaked to become muddy to further slow the vehicles. Drivers use the back end of the vehicle to ram to protect the engine compartment from damage. The vehicles are stripped of interior fixtures, trim, plastic, lights, and glass, and repainted, usually in loud, garish designs. Additional modifications include trimming sheet metal from around the wheel wells, removing parts of bumpers, welding the doors shut, relocating the battery , and occasionally cutting an escape hatch in the roof. To make the cars last longer, they are occasionally pre-bent, frames notched, rear bumpers removed, trunk lids notched, and rear coil springs are replaced with leaf springs . In many instances, roll bars, fire extinguishers , and other safety equipment is installed.