Fair AMX, Crash for Cash this Friday

On Saturday, August 7, the grandstands at the 106th Annual Phillips County Fair will feature plenty of action in the form of motorsports as the Crash for Cash Demolition Derby and AMX events will combine their events.

The dual event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. with AMX laps. The Demo Derby is set to start their first action at 6 p.m.

The PCN caught up with Dodson AMX Racing president Keith Cowan and Crash for Cash Operator Scott Skoyen to talk about their respective events.

AMX Racing

Cowan was asked what those present at the AMX Races could expect.

"Fast cars, some hard hits, and some good racing," Cowan said. "Good driving and good racing!"

The AMX races feature cars slightly modified for dirt track racing. The stock class features windowless cars, with a roll cage, and dirt tires.

"It has to be stock parts," Cowan said. "Stock in, stock out."

The event's Superstock Class allows cars to use higher performance parts, including suspension and motors.

Cowan is hopeful that the event can feature anywhere from 25-30 cars between the classes.

The grandstands serve as a home track for many local AMX racers throughout the summer, but the annual Phillips County Fair race is a major highlight for those racers.

"We have a lot more fans sitting in the stands," Cowan said. "We want to put on a show. It's a lot of fun to win, but we want to put on a show. We want the fans happy."

The races will feature a round of heat races in which racers will be seeded. Depending on the car count, the main races start from as low as a "D Main" race and end in an "A Main," also known as the championship.

At each Main race, the winner can opt to go to the next level. The D Main race typically is comprised of racers that could not finish their heat. If a racer wins the D Main Race, then they can participate in the C Main Race. The winner of the C Main can make the jump to the B Main, and so on.

Cowan said that at one AMX event, years ago, he witnessed one racer, Frank Kindle, go from the D Main, all the way to the A Main. Kindle did not win the A Main, but took second in that race.

"It just so happened to be at a fair race, so when I say we want to put on a show, that is what we are after," Cowan said.

The race will include many local favorites, including Lewistown's Dustin McKinney who has won the race in the last four years (2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017).

CRASH FOR CASH

In between AMX events will be rounds of the Crash for Cash Demolition Derby. Scott Skoyen was asked a few questions about this year's event.

"We are hoping to see lots of cars this year," Skoyen said. "We are kind of coming off the COVID thing, there have been a few changes in the rules, so we are hoping to see more cars."

Skoyen said that the changes in rules may attract some cars from outside of the state.

These rules include simplifying the parameters of stock cars and allowing welded cars to become more enhanced and sturdier.

Though he doesn't have a total amount of cars and drivers listed, Skoyen is confident that the Crash for Cash will be just as entertaining as it has been in previous years at the P.C. Fair.

"There will be lots of people, lots of cars wrecking, it will be fast and hard-hitting," Skoyen said.