Ken McGowan of the Riverside County Fire Department placed second in the Firefighter Demolition Derby which occurred July 7 and was part of the San Diego County Fair while Kyle Lackey of the Murrieta Fire Department was third.
“Another year, same result,” said McGowan, who was also second in last year’s Firefighter Demolition Derby.
“It was tough. It was all the heavy hitters,” said Lackey, who was fourth in the 2023 event.
“I had to drive smart,” Lackey said. “I had to make concentrated hits.”
In 1995 Cajon Speedway, the Burn Institute, and local fire departments collaborated for an annual night which included fundraising and promotions for the Burn Institute and a Firefighters Destruction Derby (which was renamed the Firefighter Demolition Derby in 2017). The Burn Institute and local firefighters also collaborated on an annual exposition at Qualcomm Stadium.
Cajon Speedway closed after the 2004 season and there was no Firefighters Destruction Derby for five years, but in 2010 the Fire and Safety Exposition was moved to the San Diego County Fair although the configuration of the Del Mar Arena necessitated some changes. The 2024 format had two early afternoon heats with the last three running cars in each heat advancing to the final and a last chance qualifier heat in the late afternoon which allowed the final two remaining cars to compete in the main event. The driver from the fire department which raised the most money for the Burn Institute is also allowed to drive in the final if he has an operational car, and if that driver has already qualified for the feature or if his car is not operational the driver from the fire department which raised the second-largest amount is added to the main event.
The Riverside County Fire Department had two cars in this year’s Firefighter Demolition Derby. McGowan and Tyler Wagner are both with Battalion 2 of Station 61 in Wildomar. Lackey’s twin brother, Brandon, is with the Redondo Beach Fire Department and also drove in the 2024 Firefighter Demolition Derby.
Wagner and McGowan are both Temecula Valley High School graduates. Wagner joined the fire service in 2009 with the U.S. Forest Service and has been with the Riverside County Fire Department since 2015. McGowan has been with the fire service for 13 years; he started as a volunteer with the San Diego County Regional Fire Authority (now the San Diego County Fire Protection District) at Station 69 in Warner Springs and has been with the Riverside County Fire Department for four years.
The Lackey twins are both Murrieta Valley High School graduates. Kyle Lackey has been in the fire service for 12 years; he began with the Riverside County Fire Department’s Station 71 in Palm Desert and has been with the Murrieta Fire Department for eight years. Brandon Lackey, who still lives in Menifee, has been with the Redondo Beach Fire Department for his entire ten-year professional fire service career and is a captain with that fire department.
Wagner first drove in the Firefighter Demolition Derby in 2022; he won the last chance qualifier although the front brakes in his Cadillac locked, and the Cadillac’s tires could not go to the competition area for the main event. Last year Valley Wide Towing donated a 1964 Chrysler Imperial to the fire department, which allowed Station 61 to have two cars. Wagner took the Imperial and McGowan, who was part of Wagner’s pit crew in 2022, volunteered to drive the Cadillac. Wagner was the third driver eliminated in his heat and the second driver eliminated in his last chance qualifier, although the Imperial was in good enough condition to be used again this year.
The Murrieta Fire Department had not participated in the Firefighter Demolition Derby prior to 2023; after Kyle Lackey learned of the event a 1993 Buick LeSabre was donated to the fire department. Lackey’s participation meant that his twin brother also learned of the event.
“Last year we tried to do it but didn’t have the resources,” Brandon Lackey said. “We were able to get all the resources to do it this year.”
The City of Redondo Beach donated a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor to the fire department. Approximately six firefighters work to turn the Crown Victoria into a demolition derby car.
This year McGowan drove a 1966 Chrysler Imperial which was obtained in Apple Valley. Approximately a dozen firefighters converted the car for demolition derby purposes over a period of six to seven months.
West Tow, which is in Perris, provided the 2010 Crown Victoria driven by Kyle Lackey in this year’s Firefighter Demolition Derby. The car was converted into a demolition derby vehicle over a two-month period. Approximately 30 people helped with building the car and with the fundraising which provided approximately $4,200 for the Burn Institute.
Kyle Lackey and McGowan were in the first heat along with Richard Faaborg of the Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Protection District, Combat Center (Twentynine Palms) firefighter Dylan Hubbard, Escondido firefighter/paramedic Alex Koji, Keith Naylor of the Lakeside Fire Protection District, and Chris Brunst of the Miramar Fire Department. Lackey, McGowan, and Naylor had the last three running cars. Lakeside utilized two drivers with Cameron Lippitt driving the 1973 Lincoln Mark IV in the main event.
Brandon Lackey and Wagner drove in the second heat with Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Protection District engineer/paramedic Robert Marcon, Dallas Bain of the Chula Vista Fire Department, North County Fire Protection District (Fallbrook) firefighter/paramedic Zach Cain, San Marcos Fire Department engineer Brian Meredith, and Adam Smosna of the Santee Fire Department.
Brandon Lackey’s car was stuck on a berm during the heat race. “The heat race went well. I just tried to protect the plumbing of the car and take the least amount of damage possible so I could be ready to go for the main event,” he said.
Wagner’s flood cable broke during the heat. “It was a great event. I actually really enjoyed this year’s heat,” he said.
Cain, Meredith, and Smosna drove the final three cars in that heat and automatically advanced to the main event. The North County Fire Protection District raised $22,589 and received this year’s Hard Charger Award given to the fire department which raised the most money. The Riverside County Fire Department raised $10,449, which was the second-largest amount. Because Cain had already qualified for the feature Wagner automatically competed in the main event.
“It was a station group event, the Hard Charger. We all went out,” Wagner said of the amount raised. “The local businesses really helped out.”
Koji and Brunst were the two drivers who advanced from the last chance qualifier. Brandon Lackey did not compete. “It wouldn’t start. We had a mechanical failure,” he said.
Brandon Lackey still had an enjoyable day. “It was fun,” he said of his first demolition derby.
The Redondo Beach fire captain also recognized the purpose of the event. “It’s for the kids,” he said.
Kyle Lackey is two minutes older than his twin brother. Because they drove in different heats and Brandon Lackey did not drive in the main event, they haven’t yet been in the same demolition derby competition. “If he was in that I would have worked him over. I would have given him a good shot,” Kyle Lackey said.
Koji was the first driver in the main event to break his flag. Brunst and Smosna were the next two drivers out.
Wagner’s first main event ended when his car’s rear axle broke. “Unfortunately, it didn’t end as planned,” he said.
Lippitt was then eliminated. When Cain’s car caught on fire a red flag was thrown and the demolition derby firefighters let the fire suppression crews deal with the Cutlass. Cain exited the vehicle safely and Meredith, McGowan, and Lackey became the three final drivers.
“I got antsy and started using the front of the car, at which point I lost my steering, my radiator, all of the important things,” Lackey said. “I ended up getting third, still, so it was enough to get me a third place but not first place.”
When Lackey and McGowan were both unable to move McGowan was given second and Lackey was given third.
“I’m excited. That’s a great job,” McGowan said.
“It was intense. I didn’t think I was going to make it that far,” Lackey said. “I just want to thank everyone that backed me.”
The win for Meredith was his first in five Firefighter Demolition Derby events.
“I just thank the Burn Institute for hosting it and all that they did,” Lackey said.
“At the end of the day we were able to raise a lot of money for the Burn Institute for a good cause,” McGowan said.
Joe Naiman can be reached by email at jnaiman@reedermedia.com.
