ELKHORN, Wis. — Wisconsin's largest county fair ended in smashing fashion on Labor Day. The 177th Walworth County Fair's demolition derby provided a contrast to the fair's celebration of local agriculture.
Fair organizer Larry Gaffey said grandstand tickets to the demolition derby sold out a day before the actual event. More than 150 drivers competed for a grand prize of $10,000.
The drivers included Elkhorn local Justin Craig, who grew up watching from the grandstand before racing himself.
"I've been running cars since I was 12 years old," Craig said. "All that road rage you get driving your car when you wish you could hit that stupid guy who's going 2 miles an hour. You get to do that here."
The field also included his 16-year-old daughter Isabel, who Justin had trained to race since she was young.
"I was behind the wheel of tractors at 9 so I have a lot of experience," Isabel Craig said.
While the demolition derby was the star attraction, Gaffey said the core of the fair remains Walworth County's livestock and agriculture.
"I think this represents rural Wisconsin in a very giant way," Gaffey said.
Gaffey said his team is already planning how to make next year's fair even better for both locals and visitors.
"20 percent of our customers come from the Chicago and northwest suburbs area, and another 25 percent come from the Milwaukee area, including Racine and Kenosha," Gaffey said. "It takes more than a year to put this event on. We're not Fiserv Forum or Panther Arena, we're just a group of farmers and volunteers."
The demolition derby will return next Labor Day, and so will the Craigs.
"We all have sports in life," Justin Craig said. "This is our sport."
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