MOSES LAKE — There’s something very American about a demolition derby: Only a country as obsessed with cars as ours would make a sport out of destroying them. It’s a game of high-speed bumper cars played with tons of metal, roaring engines and flying dirt making the air — and sometimes the audience — as gritty as a spaghetti western.  

The crowd at the Moses Lake Agri-Service Demo Derby didn’t seem to mind the noise or the dirt, as they added decibels to the rodeo arena themselves at every race. 

“I think it was a good turnout,” said Alex Alvarado, one of the organizers. “Our dirt held up, so I think everybody was pretty happy.” 

The demo derby is an offshoot of the Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo, and several of the rodeo’s traditions carried over. The event started with a ceremony honoring veterans of all military branches, with cars bearing the flags of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard drove reverently onto the dirt to the strains of each branch’s hymn. A sixth car bearing the POW/MIA flag silently evoked the memory of those who never returned from war. An announcer led the audience in a prayer for the protection of the military, first responders, the demo drivers and the United States of America, in that order; the national anthem was sung and the derby was on. 

The first event was new this year, kept under wraps by the organizers and unveiled Tuesday: dirt bike barrel racing. The rules were the same as the rodeo event: One rider at a time rode a tight cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, then rode hell-for-leather down the straightaway to the finish line where their time was marked. Knocking over a barrel gave the rider a five-second penalty and breaking the pattern — as many riders did — was grounds for disqualification. The motorcycle cowboys had one problem rodeo riders seldom have: Laying down the bike also incurred a penalty, as one rider discovered to his embarrassment. 

Most of the riders who weren’t disqualified brought in times in the 30- to 35-second range, but the winner, Kody Eilers, came in at 18 seconds flat. Eilers had ridden both horses and dirt bikes a lot as a child, he said, and sort of stayed with the bikes into adulthood. 

“I grew up riding barrels, so I know the pattern,” Eilers said. “That was obviously a big benefit. It was really slick out there; it was actually pretty hard to stay on two wheels.” 

Next year, the barrel racing may be broken into two events, one at the beginning and one between car races, Alvarado said, so riders can have more than one chance to qualify. 

The heat races, Australian pursuit and chain-and-go all had their share of exciting moments, including at least one fire during the heat races and a car that rode up onto the concrete barrier and landed on its side. But for all that, the extensive safety measures the derby staff take — close attention to the vehicles’ construction, lots of first responders on the scene — paid off. To Alvarado’s knowledge, nobody’s ever been seriously hurt in the Moses Lake Demo Derby. 

“There’s been some injuries, not major injuries, just little bumps and bruises,” he said. “Nothing too critical.” 

    Demo cars driven by Edgar Martinez, left, and Lyle Wayne Jr. kick up a spray of dirt at the Agri-Service Demo Derby Tuesday.
  

    The Agri-Service Demo Derby started Tuesday with a salute to the five branches of the U.S. military, as well as a remembrance of those who served and were never heard from again.
  

    A dirt bike barrel racer rounds a barrel at the Agri-Service Demo Derby Tuesday, just a split second before laying his steel steed down in the dirt.
  

    Driver Alex Mullikin found himself making the acquaintance of the concrete barrier during the heat races at the Agri-Service Demo Derby Tuesday, far from the only driver to do so.
  

    An Agri-Service Demo Derby official extinguishes a small fire that ignited in Andrew Gonzalez’s engine compartment Tuesday.
  

    Jake Sligar, No. 11, is in hot pursuit of Winston Roberts, No. 9, at the Agri-Service Demo Derby Tuesday.
  

    Agri-Service Demo Derby personnel tip Zack Moore’s car back onto its wheels after Moore rode up the concrete barrier and his car landed on its driver’s side.