By Karla Pomeroy
Staff Writer
Worland derby driver injured in Basin
Ready for Thermopolis competition
Share
Tweet
Karla Pomeroy
Big Horn County Fair Demolition Derby workers and Joey Maul's pit crew work to extricate him from the truck after it was pushed over during the truck class Sunday afternoon in Basin. Maul was cleared to get back in and compete after the pickup was set back upright. Maul later injured his hand in the competition.
WORLAND - A Worland man won the Hard Luck Award at the Big Horn County Demolition Derby Sunday in Basin after getting injured in the truck class and unable to finish the competition in the limited-weld car class.
Joey Maul of Worland has competed for three years in demolition derbies all around Wyoming but Sunday was his first time in the truck class.
"It was definitely more fun," Maul said.
Shortly after the truck class got started Maul's Y3J truck got hit on the side and the hit was just right that it upended the Y3J truck landing on its side. He was helped out of the truck and was fine and the judges cleared him to get back in and compete. Which he did, after several helping hands pushed the truck upright.
But, shortly after he made a good hit on another driver and then got hit near the berm. In trying to start up his truck again his hand slid across a sharp piece of metal below the starter, slicing it open.
After getting the attention of the derby crew. The truck class competition was stopped and Maul was escorted to the back of the ambulance and taken to South Big Horn County Hospital.
He said he had to get 12 to 15 stitches in the right hand on his pinky, index and middle finger.
He said he was excited the judges allowed him to get back in after initially being turned over. The Y3J truck did earn one award on its own – the best truck paint job. Maul also brought the truck, painted red, white and blue, out for the playing of the national anthem to start the derby. Why the patriotic theme? "My favorite colors are red, white and blue and I love America," he said.
While he was in the back of the ambulance heading to the hospital, he said he told his mother to get a hold of his dad, Joe Maul, and if his dad couldn't get his own Y2J car started for the grudge match he could run Joey's, which he did, but he didn't qualify for the final heat.
Will the hard luck Sunday deter Joey Maul? No. "I get my stitches out in 10 days, I'll be going with my car and truck to the derby in Thermopolis Aug. 20," he said.
