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TIM GRAY of Lewiston hoists his trophy after winning Wednesday night’s demolition derby competition at the Topsham Fair. In addition to the trophy, he won $500. Announcer Melanie Page is at right.TOPSHAM
W ith three heats and
10 participants in the demolition derby at the Topsham Fair Wednesday night, Timothy Gray managed to keep the car he bought in an auction minutes before, longer than the other three finalists and took home the big trophy and $500.
TOPSHAM FAIR volunteers keep watch behind concrete barriers Wednesday as cars smash and dash during the annual Demolition Derby contest. Drivers of the cars, above from left, are Keith Kowalczyk of Topsham (13), Brandon Cahill of Woolwich (51) and James Ward of Bowdoin (24). At left, Ward backs into Kowalczyk’s crumpled Ford. Below at left, Kevin Berry of Greene (44) looks out the back window for a target. Below right, the 69 car of Zac Pomelow of Lisbon Falls needs a little help clearing the course. See A3 for more fair photos.Gray, of Lewiston, said he wasn’t planning to be in the demolition derby, or to purchase one of the auction cars.
“We were sitting there thinking about it. I told the wife, I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be neat to drive one of those?’ And nobody was buying it for higher than $150, and my own endurance car I paid $150 for so I hollered out $160, and there it is.”
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Gray has participated in the endurance races and “Motor Mayhems” at Oxford Plains Speedway, but had never been in a demolition derby. Fair volunteers Wednesday found Gray a helmet to wear since he didn’t have one with him.
Before making it to the final round, Gray admitted, “That gray station wagon, I thought he was going to have us all, I really did.”
Asked if he felt he’d made a good investment in the demolition derby car, “I would say that was a wonderful investment,” Gray said. Asked what he will do with the $500, “Give it to me,” his wife said, for a shopping spree.
Kevin Berry of Greene took second place and took home $100 and a trophy as well.
A demolition derby is scheduled for Saturday night at 7 p.m. and will also take place in the race track in front of the grandstand. This derby usually draws a large crowd and many competitors.
Tonight, the Redneck Truck Pull is at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. is the Redneck Partner Carrying Contest, all in front of the grandstand.
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