Jaycees may add race to demolition derby

The Havre Jaycees are looking to add some spice to the annual demolition derby they sponsor at the Great Northern Fair each year — a race to run between heats of the derby.

“We’re looking at doing something a little different,” Jaycee Travis Velk told the fair board Tuesday at its monthly meeting.

Velk and Jaycee Chelby Gooch said that, with declining numbers of drivers, they want to find something to fill slack time between heats and the consolation rounds.

“If we could figure out something to do starting now to carry on for many years, it would be great,” Gooch said.

Velk said the plan, if it works out, is to continue to hold the derby — long a favorite event at the fair — but mix in the bump-and-run/AMX-style race.

Bobby Vanek said he has been running in bump-and-run races for 14 years, including in Lewistown, Dodson and Lohman. He said the group involved would like to bring back more interest in Havre, which has declined in recent years.

“We don’t know the first year what our car count would be, but we’d be willing to put a track in if we can get something worked out with you guys,” Vanek.

He said Lewistown usually has about 50 cars in the races, while Dodson typically has about 14 or 15.

He said the race is “kind of a cross between a circle track and a derby.”

The speed and size of the event depends on the site, Vanek said — the length of the track and the speed of the racing depends on the site. At some tracks, the racers are driving at 70 mph or more, he said.

The races typically have six to eight cars per heat, Vanek said.

The proposed track would run through the fairground arena in front of the bleachers, then run around the east and west sides of the track and south of the pens.

The board unanimously approved looking into whether adding the races to the derby would work. Fairgrounds manager Tim Solomon is to meet with the Jaycees and racers at the fairgrounds at 5:15 this afternoon to talk about the plans.

Board member Scott Doney said he thinks adding the races is a good idea.

“If you can change it up a little bit so people don’t know what to expect, I think that’s what we need is some fresh ideas,” he said. “I’m happy to hear it.”

Board member Gus Sharp said he has been looking for some new ideas at the fair.

“We need to do some new things, some exciting things some things that are going to draw more people from farther away and maybe a more diversified group,” Sharp said. “I’m all for it. Good job.”

Vanek said six or seven cars came to the last Lewistown run, and another three or so from Havre, and others from Billings and other regions.

Sharp and Doney both said that, while the Jaycees and racers said they would do all the work to set up the races, they could come to the board for help.

“We’re all here to promote this fair,” Doney said. “So if you do need some things, then you let us know, and we’ll work with you.”

“I’d like to add that that place sits up there 12 months out of the year and its only used for one week,” Board chair Bert Corcoran said.

Velk said bringing in races from other areas at a different time of year is a possibility.

“We want to test it out first and see how it works with our derby,” he said.

Fair ride improvements

In other topics, Solomon said not much new has come up in the planning for the 2014 Great Northern Fair. He said the carnival company, Brown’s Amusement, has purchased some bigger rides and expects to bring at least some of them to Havre, including pretty well guaranteeing a Zipper will be at the Great Northern Fair.

Many fair patrons complained last year, Brown’s first year of a three-year contract, that the rides did not include large, tall, thrillers. It was the first year Brown’s had provided carnivals in Montana.

Solomon also said a company that was offering pony rides at the fair made an offer to also provide a petting zoo at a substantial discount. The board approved offering the contract to the company.

The board also agreed to have one of its committees continue to look at the rates charged to store items at the fairgrounds through the fall and winter. Solomon said the rates now are a flat $200 fee whether the item is a motorcycle or a motor home.

Sharp said he would like to look at setting up a capital improvement fund for the fair.

County Commissioner Jeff LaVoi said that is something that could be set up in the budget, where if the fair raises more revenues than it spends, it could be put into an improvement fund.

Doney reported that Hill County Electric-Triangle Communications has offered to donate some used lighting fixtures to the fair to use in the Bigger Better Barn. The lights are left over from a remodel or upgrade of the lighting at its facility.

“Something that would both save energy and also have better lighting, too,” Doney said, adding that he would have more information by the next board meeting.