News
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Saul takes first at demolition derby
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Rodeo queen beats mom in barrel race
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
A three-way collision liter-
ally knocked two top compet-
itors out of the arena near the
end of the main event and gave
Wayne Saul of Mt. Vernon the
edge he needed to win the 29th
annual Whiskey Gulch Gang
Demolition Derby held at the
Grant County Fairgrounds July
14.
Steve Patterson of Prai-
rie City, who has competed in
more than 20 demolition der-
bies, said he recalled seeing
Tyler Moodenbaugh of Long
Creek coming at him hard and
fast. The next thing Patterson
knew, his car was going up and
over one of the big logs that en-
closed the arena.
But at roughly the same
time, Saul’s car rammed Mood-
enbaugh’s, pushing his car up
onto a nearby log and leaving it
there high-centered. Mooden-
baugh couldn’t move, but Pat-
terson’s car was still running,
and he ended up tied for third
place even though he was out-
side the arena.
Ten vehicles entered the
derby, including five locals
and several drivers from Idaho.
Nick Stiner of Mt. Vernon, last
year’s winner, was a favorite,
but he faced stiff competition.
Moodenbaugh had equipped
his car with “tractor tires” to
help him pick up speed in the
muddy arena, and he was vot-
ed most aggressive driver.
Under demolition rules, the
cars could be stripped down
and reinforced to protect the
driver. For safety reasons, a
five-gallon gas tank is installed
where the back seat would be,
but the radiator has to remain in
the stock position.
Following the two heats,
pit crews hurried to repair
their damaged vehicles. Saul’s
crew struggled to stem a ma-
jor cooling water leak, while
Mike Patterson, Steve’s son
from Pendleton, used a sledge
hammer to beat out a crushed
fender. Stiner’s crew welded a
ball joint mount that was bro-
ken when two cars ganged up
and knocked his car and a big
log about eight feet out of the
arena. Nine of the 10 original
cars were back for the main
event.
The crowd in the grandstand
was entertained through half-
time by Simmie Waddel and
her daughter Trinity Hutchison,
who competed in the barrel
racing event driving their pick-
up backwards. Hutchison, the
Grant County Fair and Rodeo
Queen, beat her mom’s time by
a fraction of a second. The two
then rode together driving for-
ward, but Tristen Stevens had a
faster time for the prize money.
A shortage of vehicles elim-
inated a third heat and a special
heat for pickups and full-size
SUVs. Some of the drivers
recalled seeing more than 30
vehicles enter the arena in
past derbies, not leaving much
room to maneuver but lots of
action.
Main event
First, $2,000: Wayne Saul, No. 2282
Second, $1,000: Chris Folger, No. 17
Third, $500: tied and split the winnings,
Tyler Moodenbaugh, No. 22, and Steve
Patterson, No. 66
Heat No. 1
Winner, $250: Steve Patterson, No. 66
Second, free entry: Chris Folger, No. 17
Heat No. 2
Winner, $250: Tyler Moodenbaugh, No.
22
Second, free entry: Wayne Saul, No.
2282
Beauty contest
Winner: Paul Stuart, No. 8
Most aggressive driver
Winner, $250: Tyler Moodenbaugh, No.
22
Hard luck driver
Winner, free entry: Mike Kilby, No. 38
Halftime barrel racing
Winner, $50: Tristen Stevens
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Eagle photos/Richard Hanners
Wayne Saul, Mt. Vernon, right, and his pit crew work to stem a radiator leak before the start of the main event at the 29th annual Whiskey Gulch
Gang Demolition Derby held at the Grant County Fairgrounds on July 14. Saul won the derby.
The winners of the
29th annual Whiskey
Gulch Gang Demolition
Derby held at the Grant
County Fairgrounds
are, from left, Steve
Patterson and Tyler
Moodenbaugh, tied
for third place; Chris
Folger, second place;
and Wayne Saul, first
place.
Contributed photo
Wayne Saul, Mt. Vernon, far right, joins family
and friends at the start of the 29th annual
Whiskey Gulch Gang Demolition Derby.
Saul won the derby held July 14 at the Grant
County Fairgrounds.
Mike Patterson, Pendleton, beats on a crushed
fender before the start of the main event at the 29th
annual Whiskey Gulch Gang Demolition Derby held
at the Grant County Fairgrounds on July 14. His
father, Steve Patterson, Prairie City, watches.
The grandstand at the Grant County Fairgrounds was full July 14
for the 29th annual Whiskey Gulch Gang Demolition Derby.
A pit crew works on a car with a broken ball
joint before the main event of the 29th annual
Whiskey Gulch Gang Demolition Derby at the
Grant County Fairgrounds on July 14. The weld
was made, and the car went back in action.
Vehicles from across Oregon and Idaho compete in the first heat of the
Whiskey Gulch Demolition Derby.