On Saturday 13th July 2019 'Assoċjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi' organized the second edition of the 2019 Van Demolition Derby where 16 competitors were registered but only 12 vehicles passed the qualifying tests to enable them to compete.
Meanwhile the drivers for this edition were Zack Woodhead on a Tata Safari, Eman Farrugia on a Tata Sierra, Jurgen Gatt on his Kia Carnival, Clint Farrugia on an LDV Van, Michael Delia on his Tata Sierra, Charles Butler on a Tata Safari, Larkin Butler on a Tata Sierra, Massimo Borg on a Ford Transit, Marlon Caruana on a Tata Sierra, Clint Charles Calleja on a Tata Safari, Joshua Bowell on a Hyundai Tuscan and Leo Butler on a Tata Sierra.
During the start of the Demolition the competitors were seen making two laps to exhibit their vehicles before they change their shape and size due to heavy banging. During these two Laps the vans were escorted by a Ford Fiesta Autocross car driven by Delia Duncan. After spending its life in the Autocross competitions this car was left abandoned in the track centre to be bumped by all demolition vehicles before it was sent to the metal scrap heap.
Faced with hundreds of spectators present the Demolition began and the great show of technical collisions that lasted about 40 minutes. Guessing the winning car was very difficult but interesting and this drew the alertness of everyone. This was evident because of the final state of the vehicles involved and their indistinguishable state. In this challenge there were Eman Farrugia and Marlon Caruana both on a Tata Sierra along with Jurgen Gatt on Kia Carnival. These last three drivers were very careful on how and in which part of the opponent's vehicle each tried to give them the mortal blow while making sure that their own vehicle keeps moving to stand a chance of a Demolition win.
At one point we saw Farrugia and Gatt give each other their last stabs while Caruana also joined them in this duel. Farrugia gave the final face to face blow to Gatt which resulted in Gatt being left sitting in a stalled vehicle while Farrugia still had his engine running but could not move his vehicle any further because his van became an integral part to the van of Gatt in their last blow. At the same time Caruana was still on the scene and gave Farrugia a couple of blows until Farrugia retired from the game thus Caruana won this Demolition.
The Result of this Van Demiltion Derby 2019 is:- the Winner is Marlon Caruana and the Runner-up is Eman Farrugia. Both competitors were on Tata Sierra vehicles. Third placed competitor is Jurgen Gatt on a Kia Carnival.
Another Demolition Derby is expected to be held on Sunday 27th October 2019 and this will be dedicated only to women drivers. In this Demolition only small sized cars will be allowed to participate. Also, on Sunday 22nd December 2019 the 'Big Car Demolition' will be held during the Christmas festive season.
It is interesting to point out that with these kinds of DEMOLITION events ASMK have contributed environmentally by reducing the number of older vehicles on the Maltese roads. During this last year only the ASMK Association organized four Demolition Derbies which resulted in removing no less than 120 old vehicles from the Maltese roads.
More information can found on the website of the Association www.asmk.org.mt or Facebook pages named A.S.M.K. Malta or Association Sport Motorcycles and Cars. One can make contact by email [email protected] Mobile 99425489.
Photos by Mario Micallef