Two veteran drivers split Combine Derby title

Fourteen combines battled in the Lind Lions Club Arena on June 11 in hopes of becoming the victor of the Lind Combine Demolition Derby.

When the dust settled, two drivers remained and split the title of the 2016 Derby Champions.

Longtime competitors Chad Overmyer and Jim Oswald took home the title and split the purse for the event.

Oswald began competing in the Derby in 2005, and Overmyer joined the competition in 2009.

This year serves as Overmyer’s final year of competition at the Lind Combine Demolition Derby. This year, Overmyer competed in the combine “It Works” formally known as “Hillbilly Deluxe.”

Oswald returned to the arena in his infamous combine, “Prison Break.” The combine is complete with a light bar and sirens.

When the horns blew, announcing the end of the derby, both drivers stood on top of their combines to celebrate. The two battled head to head in the final heat of the event, and the judges eventually determined to call it a tie.

Newcomer Caleb Hannas captured third place on Saturday evening, earning him bragging rights in his first competition.

At the conclusion of the Derby, both Overmyer and Oswald congratulated Hannas on his strong performance, and Hannas is expected to be a daunting opponent in the upcoming years.

In the best decorated competition, Ed Favilla of Spokane took home the first place trophy.

With a spectacular display, Favilla completely disguised his combine as a pirate ship, complete with cannons and an animatronics sea monster at the helm.

In the back, a skeleton dangled from the plank while Favilla’s crew of pirates ran amuck on board the ship.

Favilla took off the decorations before battling in the arena during the Derby, but the ship display proved popular at the Lind Grand Parade in the morning, which garnered him the first place award.

Lind driver Tyran Doyle received second place in the best decorated competition for his combine “The Extinguisher.”

The red combine not only recognized Doyle’s service as a firefighter, but also honored longtime fire chief Don Klemmer, who passed away last year. Klemmer served on the Lind Fire Department for 43 years, and spent 20 of those years as chief.

The third place award went to the “I Want To Go Fast” crew for their combine themed after the popular movie, “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.”

Josh Houck drove the combine in the Derby, and competed as a first year driver.

This year, drivers traveled from Seattle, Davenport, Odessa, Hooper, Ritzville, Lind, Spokane, Othello and Harrington to compete.

During intermission at the Derby, pickup races filled the arena and kept the excitement rolling before the consolation bracket and final heat of the combines.

Only two grain truck racers competed in the races on Saturday, but a truck mishap early on in the day took one driver out of the races.

The pickup races did not have a shortage of drivers, with an estimated 40 pickups entered into the races on Saturday. This also included powder-puff races for the seven women drivers who competed in the afternoon contest.

With the 2016 event in the books, the Lind Lions Club is now gearing up for the 30th Annual Lind Combine Demolition Derby next summer.

The event is sure to draw an even larger crowd as the Derby rolls out all the stops to celebrate 30 successful and entertaining years offering one of the country’s most unique events.