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• One-on-One with Travis Shoudel, Demolition Derby driver

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• Champaign County Fair returns to Urbana

Every year, the Champaign County Fair welcomes a variety of entertainment, from carnival rides to horse shows to tractor pulls. However, this year’s festivities kick off with an event even more exciting: a car demolition derby, which tests not only the driving abilities of its entrants but also their engineering skill. One of the event’s competitors, Travis Shoudel will bring his years of experience into the truck competition on July 30 with one goal: knock the old kings from their thrones and install some new blood on top. Shoudel took time from his preparations to talk to buzz about his personal history with derbies, the general perception of demolition derby drivers and why everyone should go out and compete.

buzz: How did you get started with derbies, and what keeps you coming back?

Travis Shoudel: I just went to a couple county fairs, got interested, went out and spent a bunch of money, and there we go. It’s super addictive. Once you get started, you can’t stop; it’s in your blood. I think that’s the reason most people do it. Trophies are nice too. [laughs]

buzz: What do you think attracts people to derbies?

TS: Everybody likes to see a good car accident. If two cars are stopped on the interstate, people always start talking. Also, you get to watch people go at it. There are rivalries, people that have been going at each other for years and years. One guy wins, and the next year the other guy beats him. It gets entertaining.

buzz: What are you looking forward to this year?

TS: I’d like to see somebody win it that’s never won it before. The same people get it year after year after year, and it would be cool to see somebody shake it up a little bit who hasn’t won one or maybe hasn’t even run in one. I think it was last year that a kid in his first year at the compact [car division] won it his first time out. Watching him win was pretty cool. I’d like to see that again. Personally, we’d like to win one and have something left at the end to work with for another show. I’m gonna have a good time, that’s the main goal.

buzz: Do you think there’s a stigma about demolition derby drivers?

TS: A lot of people categorize the people who do this stuff as backyard, junkyard guys or rednecks. There are actually a lot of people that have normal jobs and you wouldn’t expect to run in stuff like this.

buzz: What would you say to somebody who’s considering participating?

TS: I’d say go for it. I tried my first time, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Everybody I know that’s ever tried it is still doing it. I don’t know anybody who’s ever tried it once and said, ‘No, this isn’t for me. I’m not going to do this anymore.’ It’s pretty easy to get involved. On a competitive level, it’s going to take a little more, but if you just want to do it, it’s easy. That’s what is unique about Champaign. They have a lower skill class where you can just throw it together and go, and there’s a class for that instead of having to go against the overbuilt, overpriced guys who’ve got $10,000 just in the motor, plus $1000 in the drive shaft and $1000 in the rear end. You don’t have to run with those guys. You can run with a group of people who just knocked the grass out, threw in a battery and a gas tank and ran. I’d say just get out and try one.