By Susan Meeker
COLUSA, CA (MPG) – The 44th District Agricultural Association last week said they are going all out to make the 2024 Colusa County Fair’s Destruction Derby in June a smash.
The Fair Board, at its Jan. 31 meeting, voted unanimously to increase the total purse for the derby to attract more drivers to Colusa.
Fair officials said the Sunday night destruction derby has been a fan favorite at the Colusa County Fair for decades, but if drivers don’t come, neither will the spectators.
“We need to do what’s right for our fair,” said Director Michael Doherty, who noted a drop in participation over the past few years, largely due to the high cost to build derby vehicles.
Colusa’s truck derby – the newest trend in heavy metal mayhem – was the fair’s biggest event last year, while the car derby had fewer drivers.
“The trucks are where it’s at now,” Doherty said.
44th District Ag President Terry Bressler, who was voted unanimously to lead the fair board again in 2024, said they have already met with derby enthusiasts to make sure this year’s destruction derby draws enough drivers to put on a good show for spectators.
“Everyone agrees that we need to cough up more dough,” Bressler said.
To make sure the car derby draws a big crowd, the Fair Board will offer drivers at least $30,000 in prize money for the truck and car derby, upping the purse at least $10,000 to save the derby from extinction.
“We have one main grandstand event that we hang our hat on…” Doherty said. “We need to get those cars here and we need to get butts in the seats.”
With the Colusa County Fair just four months aways, the fair board and fair staff are also trying to drum up interest in having a combine/harvester derby as a new Saturday night event at the grandstands.
If the fair cannot spark enough interest or participants, officials have not ruled out having a tractor/combine event as a grand finale on Sunday night, but they hope to pull off a new Saturday grandstand event.
“It’s kind of a new thing,” said CEO Laura Ford.
Ford said she is lining up sponsorships for the Colusa County Fair’s combine derby, which may also include a kids’ power wheel event, as well as the car and truck derbies.
This year, the fair said they hope to provide sponsors with more incentives to support the Colusa County Fair, the most popular summer event in the county, including greater recognition and perks during its four-day run.
Anyone interested in sponsoring can contact Ford at (530) 458-2641.