Figure 8 trailer racing

[tractors1]

Interesting sport near where I grew up in Illinois.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msWpkaCnWHY

[Iowa Dave]

Do they use a WDH? Seriously, they usually have the same kind of race at our county fair in Iowa. But it’s not figure 8. The big attraction is the combine demolition derby up Grundy county. That’s life out on the prairie.
Iowa Dave

[Meadowlark]

This is insane. What a waste of fuel and where does all the pieces go? into the landfill...

[Iowa Dave]

The plastics and non-salvageable goes out behind the barn into the ditch.
The metal goes to the scrapyard and pays for another case of cheap beer, usually Busch Light.
It’s that way all over the country. It’s especially ugly out on the hillsides of the country where impromptu junk yards spring up like mushrooms after a rain in the spring. There should be a national effort to “Clean up the Junk”. In my opinion.
It’s just a matter of time before we are mining the landfills. We need to teach more environmental responsibility in school. In my opinion, again.
Iowa Dave

[Cotton]

Originally Posted by Meadowlark

This is insane. What a waste of fuel and where does all the pieces go? into the landfill...

Insane? Really?

[FRED SMAILES]

We burn fuel to go camping, racing, to work, to do what we enjoy, are passionate about. What an individual is passionate about may not appeal to all of us.
Something about freedom of choice,,,,,

[Paul O.]

Pretty much every time we set out on a trip and before we leave our metropolitan area, we drive past hundreds (thousands?) of acres of campers, trailers, RV's that are obviously in storage and we both say the same thing over and over: what happens with these things when they are no longer good to use? Now I know. Some get disassembled on a Saturday night and go out with a bang! That question is no longer rhetorical.

[Raspy]

That's hilarious. Very funny!

[David Tilston]

I'm very conflicted.

First off, very fun to watch!

However, I kept seeing front awnings and windows that I could use. Not to speak of the tow vehicles.

[Mr Lynn]

Just boys havin' fun.

I didn't see any molded fiberglass trailers, by the way.

[Raspy]

The whole track turned into a big field of broken and smashed stuff to clean up. A giant mess. But the announcer reminded everyone to not leave any trash behind as they left their seats. I had to laugh.

In the end, it seems the most reliable trailer hitch is simply a good chain as it gives lots of freedom of movement and is stronger than a ball system. By the time the trailer is reduced to just a frame, maybe even without wheels, the chain hitch still performs well.

Now, on to the school bus figure 8 racing, and the motorhome figure 8 racing.

The busses corner better than I would have thought and mostly only end up on their sides if hit at the intersection. You can hear those International V8s working as they crowd their way around the track, shoulder to shoulder.

There are two schools of thought on the motorhome figure 8 racing. One is to enjoy the motorhome's comfort and convenience and get a good night's sleep, on the night before the race, but then have a lot of extra weight to carry around in the track. The other is to gut the thing, the day before the race, and go with a lighter, faster unit. Either way, the bodies get pretty much torn off during the event.

If it is hard to watch, it is mainly because of laughing so hard and analyzing the carnage.

I suppose we could get into the lawnmower destruction derby races, but let's not.

[Iowa Dave]

I’ve seen those early seventies Chevy pickups drag upside down fold down campers for
Many laps on just the chains. The slew around like a mace, one times come around so far they hit the tow rig.
At the Benton county fair event (oval track) I think it’s mandatory to have at least one carburetor fire. There is some nasty black smoke, that’s for sure.
Iowa Dave

[FRED SMAILES]

I have been a big oval track fan for many years and raced in the 80s. But was never a fan of this stuff and demo derbys.

[Jon in AZ]

It's entertainment, not much different than monster truck events, rodeos, bullfighting, cock fighting, NASCAR, you could even add horse racing. All produce a fair bit of wasteful carnage.

When you consider the waste that goes into producing a typical blockbuster action movie, is it really any different from an ethical perspective?

The tow vehicles and trailers are one step from a crusher to start with and stripped of most usable components. When I've seen clips of similar events, all the trailer windows were removed. Kind of sprprised to see them here. The only pieces of significant value, the engine and the driver, generally survive.

On the plus side I figure it keeps a large group of beer-drinking [pejorative omitted] occupied for a day, out of campgrounds, and away from lakes.

[RobertRyan]

Quite common in the UK, they have many small oval tracks( shale and paved). These are not figure 8 races but demolituon derbies with Caravanshttps://youtu.be/XOD8PRNz9KI

[RobertRyan]

Caravan " banger" racing. Demolition Derbies on the small ovals in the UK

[jgilliam1955]

I love these types of races. Use to watch on Wide World of Sports.