PARIS POST-INTELLIGENCER
Pars, TN
 

Derby documentary to premiere

Mike Weatherford (right) discusses strategy with driver Wes Gargus in a scene from the demolition derby documentary, “Derby Madness! The Movie,” which has its world premiere March 7 at the Krider Performing Arts Center on Volunteer Drive. Admission is free to see the 105-minute movie. —DuMedia Lighthouse photo

Film featuring Weatherford coming to KPAC

By BILL McCUTCHEON
P-I Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, February 19, 2009 12:01 PM CST
Where many people might only see cars crashing into each other and smoke and dust filling the air, Paris businessman Mike Weatherford saw opportunity.

He created a series of demolition derby qualifying competitions called the NAPA Auto Parts Crash for Cash at various Tennessee and Kentucky sites, concluding each September at a $13,000 purse championship event at Henry County Fairgrounds.

Now, two Nashville-based filmmakers have bumped his idea up a notch or two.

“These two guys followed me around all of last year,” Weatherford said. And, it wasn’t just Weatherford and the derbies themselves — John Dudley and William Middleton also filmed other officials, car builders and drivers.

The result is a demolition derby documentary movie called “Derby Madness! The Movie” which will be premiered at 7 p.m. March 7 at the Krider Performing Arts Center on Volunteer Drive in Paris.

Admission will be free but anyone planning to attend is encouraged to arrive early as seating will be limited to KPAC capacity.

“Derby Madness! The Movie” follows promoter Weatherford and his group of officials as they travel to various small towns in West Tennessee and Kentucky for the Derby Madness demolition derby competitions.

The movie, a documentary produced by DuMedia Lighthouse, also features Bill Reagor, Max Parrish, Wes Gargus and many others who have participated in the Derby Madness events.

Filmmakers Dudley and Middleton are excited about the resulting documentary.

“Along with many car smashes, including lots of smoke and fire, we’ve put together some very compelling footage of what goes on behind the scenes and in the lives of the drivers and officials,” Dudley said.

“It was a pleasure getting to know these people and making this movie. We’ve done our best to capture the crazy, car-crashing world of demolition derby,” Dudley said.

For more information about the world premiere event, including information about how to purchase DVDs of the movie, visit the Web site: www.derbymadnessmovie.com.
 

Copyright © 2009 - The Paris Post-Intelligencer