Crashes, burnouts and thrills at demolition derby

Action during the demolition derby. Photo: Rohan Thomson

While many Canberrans were hoping to avoid a car crash on their way to the south coast, others at Moruya were deliberately seeking one.

Moruya's finest, clad with flannel shirts and beers in hand, watched a dusty demolition derby from the comfort of their living room couch, perched on the back of their utes, of course.

The rules of the game were simple - drive your car into other vehicles as fast possible and cause as much damage as possible, while avoiding injury.

"The demolition derby is the real drawcard for people who haven't been to a racetrack before," race marshal Ian Riley said.

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"The drivers hold up a white flag when they've had enough and the cars often leave a metre or two shorter."

Mr Riley, who resembled Moruya's Hunter S Thompson lookalike, organised the drivers with no sign of a serious injuries he got just six weeks earlier.

While racing at another meeting, Mr Riley struck a wall at 80km/h in his cart and broke three ribs, punctured a lung, and damaged vertebrae.

He was just one of many drivers who boasted about their extensive injury lists, added to over many years at racetracks on the south coast.

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Crashes, burnouts and thrills at demolition derby