NORTHAMPTON — School buses, each decorated with the name and theme of a local school, looked innocent parked at the Three County Fair on Monday afternoon. But when a voice announced over the loudspeaker the start of the school bus demolition derby, they began to smash and ram into each other.
The rain did not deter fans from packing the stands at the school bus demolition derby. Two thousand people watched — mostly from underneath the covered stands — as glass shattered, hoods flung open, rear ends smashed and engines smoked. As the rain picked up, the dirt in the derby turned to mud and at times the smell of gasoline wafted to the stands. A firetruck and ambulance were parked outside the ring.
Many cheered for their favorite school. “Get ’em Jackson Street,” one onlooker yelled.
Kids ate hot dogs and parents sipped beers. After particularly violent clashes between two busses, the crowd would gasp.
“School buses have to be retired after they accumulate so many miles. These are headed for the scrapyard anyway,” said James Przypek, the fair’s general manager. Skyfire Productions in Leyden put on the event and got the buses, which local schools sponsor.
Buses represented schools including Leeds Elementary School, Jackson Street School and Hatfield Elementary School.
Jackson Street’s bus had flowers painted on its side and on its windows the slogan, “Have fun, play fair.” A pigeon was painted on the back of Bridge Street School’s bus with the words, “Who let the pigeon drive the bus,” a reference to a popular Mo Willems children’s book.
Abbey Kass, a fifth-grader at Ryan Road Elementary School, watched as her school’s bus slammed into others. Kass painted a giant hawk, the school’s mascot, on the bus’ hood. It was her first time at the demolition derby. “I think it’s cool, but I don’t like seeing the buses smashed up.”
In the end, Ryan Road Elementary’s bus won, meaning it was the last one still working.
Right before the school bus event, there was a truck and SUV demolition derby. Johnny Dibrindisi, a 23-year-old from Northampton, drove a minivan in that competition. “It’s exciting — definitely a rush,” he said.
He was eliminated when his car battery died. Like the buses, the cars are headed to the junkyard.
“Most of us find them on Craigslist,” he said.
It was his first time in the derby, and he will likely be back next year, he said with a smile.
Monday’s derbies were some of the final events of this year’s four-day fair.
“We had a terrific event,” Przypek said. “All four days’ attendance was actually up over last year.”
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.