New breed of drivers lining up for demo derby

Eric Johnson's car bears little resemblance these days to the Oldsmobile it started out as in 1976.

Its insides have been gutted, its metal skin covered with black spray paint and sledgehammer-size dents.

The original engine was pulled out long ago, and now a 350-cubic-inch Chevy motor pokes out from under the hood.

A roll cage wraps the driver's seat, and scrap iron has been welded to practically every nook and cranny.

Johnson figures he's spent about two months and $5,000 working on this creation, even though he doesn't expect it to survive Sunday's demolition derby at the Kane County Fair in St. Charles.

"It's going to be junk by the time I'm done," the Melrose Park man says with a grin. "I think I'm going to get a few screws loose in my head and go crazy."

While Johnson's love for the chaotic nature of the sport is common among enthusiasts, older derby drivers say the 18-year-old represents a new breed of competitors.

They are the drivers reaching new heights when it comes to the amount of time and money they're willing to spend on a car to increase their chances of winning.

"It's actually turned into quite an expensive sport," said Lily Lake resident Brad Chapman, 40, a veteran derby driver who also plans to compete Sunday.

"Guys used find a car behind a farmer's barn, do whatever you had to do to get it running, go out and have fun wrecking the car and take it to the junk yard when you're done. Now a lot of cars are coming from out west ... Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska. They're hauling them back here just to smash them."

Aiding in the transition is the popularity of the Internet, drivers say.

An engine-mounted gas pedal, for example, used to be something many derby drivers rigged themselves to keep a car operable even with severe front-end damage.

Now, drivers such as Johnson can order them online and receive them by mail.

Seemingly endless listings of cars and other car parts also can be found for sale on the Web.

"Back in my heyday, if I needed something, I made it," said Johnson's father, Bryon, who is organizing the fair derby. "But those days just aren't there anymore."

A sport enjoyed largely for its anarchy -- rules prohibit only smashing into doors where a driver or passenger is seated -- the growing divide between dabbling hobbyists and the big spenders is prompting organizers to rethink how they set up event classes.

The Kane County Fair this year will have two divisions: one for heavily modified cars and one for more basic junkers, said promoter Ken Donat of Crystal Lake.

Some tracks also are hosting "powder puff" groupings for women, which Eric's sister, Carolyn, and Chapman's wife, Jacki, have competed in.

In St. Charles, the 2 p.m. show Sunday features four-cylinder cars that have undergone few modifications, while a 7 p.m. show features cars with heavy roll cages and significant amounts of iron welding to make them sturdy.

"Some (drivers) live and breathe this stuff, so it's worth it to them" to do more work, Bryon Johnson said. "But we're trying to make it to where the guys can do less work, too."

Donat said he expects to sell out the grandstand for the events, which could include as many as 30 cars during a single event.

A fire-breathing, car-eating, transforming robot known as Megasaurus also will perform at both shows.

Fair admission is $5, and tickets to the derby are another $5. For more information, call (630) 584-6926.