Wreck your car for heroes

Drivers are needed for the first Colusa Fire Fighters Association demolition derby later this month.

Event sponsors said drivers are wanted from all over the Mid-Valley, especially locals from Colusa, Glenn, Yolo and Sutter counties.

“I like the look on the guy’s face, just before I smash him,” said driver Kirk Voorhees of Williams.

The 39 year-old Colusa County-native was raised around demolition derbies, he said.

“The first one I ever did, I got a trophy and was hooked,” he said.

Voorhees is a regular on the Mid-Valley derby scene and said he enjoys the camaraderie generated by competing against the group of guys over the years.

Colusa driver Dennis Mitchell is also a regular who was raised on the scene.

“It’s a lot of good work to take a car and stripe it all the way down to bare bones metal and build it up again,” he said.

Jeremy Ainger of Colusa said he runs about two or three cars each year and wears his injuries like merit badges.

“Everyone gets banged up,” he said. “The first time out I broke my ribs.”

Ainger said he’s excited to bring his 1974 Monte Carlo to the derby and is looking forward to competing with old rivals.

“We hope a lot of people come out,” Voorhees said. “I just want to smash cars, helping the local fire fighters is just like a special bonus for me.”

The derby will be held Oct. 18, at the Colusa County Fairgrounds. Pits open at 5 p.m. If you would like to enter a vehicle, contact the firefighters at 458-7221.